The Pacemaker Incompetency
by blueberryymilk
Summary: In a world where the whereabouts of the dirty sock is still unknown, how will Sheldon cross paths with the woman who is meant to set the rhythm of his heart? Shamy AU. Rated T for the meantime, but might change as the story progresses.
1. The Chaotic Lunchbreak

_**A/N: Hello again! I'm back with another story, but this time it's not a one shot. Updates might be posted weekly or more often if I have extra time on my hands. I do hope you'll enjoy this, please tell me your thoughts in the reviews.**_

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**CHAPTER ONE: THE CHAOTIC LUNCHBREAK**

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Amy wasn't able sleep well last night. Her mind was clouded with anxiety about leaving Harvard to accept a full-time job at Caltech. Ever since she finished her doctoral studies, she had never thought of transferring and living away from her parents. This nervousness takes her back to the time when she first entered high school. Like any other girl, she had hoped for a fun high school life with her classmates. Unfortunately, it only ended in agony, as she spent everyday getting bullied by almost everyone at school. She was terrified that the same thing will happen to her upon leaving Harvard. Despite of her desire for things to stay the same, she just can't refuse the opportunity that Caltech was offering her. Now that she's a known scientist in her field, she assured herself that she'd find a way to fit in a university as renowned as Caltech.

She stood up, roaming her eyes on her room one last time. Her room witnessed her growth, from a young girl who cries almost every night to a Neurobiologist whose face had been the cover of Neutron twice in a row. Amy never had an exciting childhood, but she was sure that she'll miss everything in her childhood home. With a heavy heart, she finally closed the door of her room, leaving her memories with inside it.

Amy clutched her handbag and went downstairs to bid her goodbye to her parents. She saw them on the couch, patiently waiting for her to get down.

"Mom, dad, I'm leaving." she said softly, trying to fight the urge to cry.

"Oh pumpkin, take good care of yourself there. Make sure to message or call us everyday, alright?" her dad enveloped her to a warm and comforting hug. _God, she's gonna miss this so bad._

Amy broke the hug and turned to her mom. "Remember, don't talk to strangers, don't take drugs, don't drink alcohol or any substance that is high in caffeine…" Mrs. Fowler held her daughter's hands tightly, as if she never wanted to let her go. "And finally, we know how engrossed you can be while working so please, Amy, don't forget to take a rest." she smiled as a tear suddenly fell from her eye.

Amy nodded. "Don't worry about me, I'll be fine." she assured them. Amy's heart swelled upon seeing how concerned her parents were about her well-being. _For once, she thought, her parents were able to put their overprotectiveness into good use._

Mr. Fowler opened the drawer of the nightstand beside the couch, showing a black leather box. "We wanted to give this to you on your birthday, but we thought that now might be the right time for you to have it." he uttered, still clutching the box in his hand. Mr. Fowler stretched his arm and gave Amy the box.

With shaky fingers, Amy eagerly opened the box. She gasped upon seeing its content. It was the watch she was about to buy with the advanced salary she got from Caltech.

"We've seen that you've been eyeing that one for a long time so we went out on a limb to buy it for you."

Amy leaned forward and hugged her parents. "I can't believe it! Thank you so much!" she exclaimed in glee. Her face beamed with happiness, as if she won the lottery.

Her mom grabbed the watch and put it into her daughter's wrist. "Perfect."

After a few more minutes, Amy finally took the courage to see herself out. It was already four in the afternoon, so she was afraid that she'll be bombarded by traffic on her way to Pasadena. She said goodbye to her parents and hopped onto her car.

Amy pressed the lone button of her new watch. She set it into heart rate mode.

_**75 beats per minute.** Wonderful._

She turned the radio on and prepared herself for the long drive that was ahead of her.

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Raj, Sheldon, Leonard, and Howard sat on their favorite spot on the cafeteria. It was their ritual to gather here during lunch break and eat lunch together. They were all having a good time talking about the new Star Wars movie when Sheldon suddenly let out a loud shriek, causing everyone to look at their table.

"Sheldon, what's the matter?" Leonard asked calmly.

Sheldon grabbed his plate of jello and shoved it into Leonard's face. "Do you see now why I'm very upset?" he asked, still holding the plate. Leonard glanced at Raj and Howard, but they only shook their heads. "I don't even know why you're shoving your dessert on my face, Sheldon." he admitted. Sheldon put the plate down and crossed his arms.

"Today's jello was orange flavored. Do you understand where I'm getting at?"

"Sorry, but I believe I don't."

Sheldon let out a deep sigh and turned his face to Leonard's. "The cafeteria always serves pineapple flavored jello. For years, never have I encountered any flavor being served on my plate. Now that I'm already accustomed to the sweet and tasty flavor of pineapple, they change the flavor of the jello? That's preposterous!" he exclaimed.

Once again, Leonard peeped at the two men in front of him who were already bearing the same defeated expression in their faces. They already know what's coming, _a detailed discussion about jello for the rest of their lunch break._

Raj, Howard, and Leonard just focused on eating while Sheldon kept on blabbering about some jello nonsense. When they thought that there's nothing that could make this lunch break worse, a girl walks into the cafeteria, with her eyes locked on their table.

"Holy crap in a cracker, she's here again..." Howard used his left hand to hide his face from the woman that was about to approach their table.

"S-Should we pretend to not see her and just run for our lives?" Raj asked in a shaky voice. Before all of them could find a good place to hide, a tall and slender figure already stood before them. As Raj would say, she is a blonde, attractive, and manipulative witch who seems to enjoy pestering their social group with her unbelievable annoyingness.

"Hello, Dr. Cooper!" she greeted enthusiastically, not even minding that Sheldon had company.

"Well hello to you too, Dr. Nowitzki."

Ramona grinned upon hearing Sheldon's reply. She started twirling her blonde locks, attempting to flirt with the emotionless robot before her. As much as the guys hated Ramona's frequent interruption of their lunch break, they can't deny that watching Ramona being turned down by Sheldon every single time made their lunches a bit more entertaining. She was persistent, like an alien parasite, but not persistent enough to break the strong walls that Sheldon built for himself.

"I was thinking if you could spare some time to help me with my current paper? It's about string theory, so I thought that I could use your help on finishing it." she asked, using her most flirtatious voice. "If you're available tonight, I could drop by your apartment and buy some pizza for dinner."

Sheldon pondered about Ramona's offer. Sure, he _loves_ free food. But if it's coming from Ramona… Well… he'll rather die from starvation than accept her offer for pizza.

He turned his head to her while she watched him in anticipation. "Thank you for the offer but I'm not in the mood for pizza." Sheldon declared.

Ramona nodded, accepting the challenge. "What about Thai then? I know a restaurant that serves delicious thai food just around the corner. We could eat dinner there while you discuss your thoughts about my paper."

"About that, I-"

Just as when he was about to turn down Ramona once and for all, the doors of the cafeteria swung open as a young, bespectacled woman stepped inside.

"I don't know about you, but my lunch break just got more exciting!" Raj smirked as he stood up, eyeing the woman as if he's a predator. Sheldon turned his head to see the woman which caused Raj to elicit such action. Nothing out of the ordinary, he observed. Her dark hair flowed until her shoulders, her emerald orbs frantically roamed the entire room, and also, she wore layers and layers of clothes. Not that he cares, but he found it odd to see someone putting a lot of layers when the weather is so warm outside.

Howard stood beside Raj and tapped his shoulders. "Leonard has Penny, I have Bernadette, and Sheldon's an emotionless robot so…" he winked at him before continuing. "I think she's all yours."

Sheldon scoffed at the two of them. He was sure that Raj will not be able to woo that woman to go out with him. By the looks of it, the woman who just entered appears to be someone intelligent and knowledgeable enough to decline Raj's advances.

With eyes still fixated on the newcomer, another figure entered the cafeteria. This time, it was President Siebert.

The president cleared his throat to gain the attention of everyone in the cafeteria. "Listen, everyone!" he clapped twice to make sure that all attention was on him. "As you all know, Caltech has been expanding its research parameters in the pursuit of the advancement of Science. Last month, we have announced the formation of several research teams in the university. Today, it is my great pleasure to present to you the head of the newly established Neurobiology research team, none other than the brilliant Dr. Amy Farrah Fowler!" he announced proudly.

The bespectacled woman beside him took a step forward and tightened her grip on her skirt. "Hello, I am Amy Farrah Fowler and I'll be working at Caltech from now on." she said with ample softness in her voice.

The president's great news caused the entire room to be filled with happy cheers and loud clapping.

Sheldon crossed his arms once again, as if he was thinking something of utmost importance. "Amy Farrah Fowler. Where have I heard that name?" Sheldon asked himself, trying to remember if he had met her before. If she was a new employee at Caltech, it's impossible for him to have met her around the university. And he was also certain that he never met her outside work, since the only places he visits are the grocery store, the train store, and the comic bookstore. If he hadn't met her before, why does her name ring a bell on his mind?

Sheldon was unaware that Leonard heard his mumble to himself. He knew firsthand that Sheldon wasn't the type of guy who would interact with someone who is not his colleague. With that thought in mind, he only reached one plausible explanation. "Hmm, this is my first time seeing her so I'm certain that we don't know her personally." he stated. "Since she's a published scientist, what if you've heard of her name though other sources, like online journals or science magazines?"

_Leonard had a valid point, Sheldon thought._ However, given that he's an exceptional theoretical physicist, why would he bother reading a paper about biology online?

_Wait, wait._

_Online._

_Online._

_Online._

**_Yes, online._**

_Now it all made sense._

The familiarity of the name, it struck them all at the same time. Sheldon felt the wave of memories hit him like a truck. _The hidden dirty sock. The dating site. The coffee shop. The girl…_

Sheldon, Raj, and Howard looked at each other in horror.

_She was Amy Farrah Fowler. The woman he ditched two years ago._

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_**A/N: One chapter down! Please stay tuned for the following chapters. Also, let me know what you think about it!**_


	2. The Schoolbell Salvation

**_A/N: First of all, I would like to thank everyone who read the first part of this story! I was so glad to see that a lot of people are already anticipating my updates. I just want to ask for your patience for I might not be able to update regularly. However, I have already outlined the entire story plot so rest assured that updates will keep coming your way. _**

**_I hope you enjoy this chapter, please tell me your thoughts about it in the reviews!_**

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**_CHAPTER TWO: THE SCHOOL BELL SALVATION_**

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Mary Cooper had taught his boys, Sheldon and Georgie, to always be kind and considerate to people. Georgie might have been led astray from this principle over time, but Sheldon made sure to live by this teaching despite of his reluctancy to interact with other people. He wasn't a sociable person, but he attends to other people when they're in dire need of his help. Even as an adult, Sheldon had always instilled his mother's teaching in his day to day life. Unfortunately, seeing the woman he ditched two years ago made him ponder if he was still the same Texan gentleman that his mother worked so hard to raise.

"Amy Farrah Fowler? As in, _the Amy Farrah Fowler?_" Howard asked, still shocked at her presence.

Raj turned to Howard. "She can't be that woman! I can't let future Mrs. Koothrappali get away from me!" he exclaimed. The thought of her remembering the incident and confronting them about it drained the blood in their faces. Raj, Howard, and Sheldon became fidgety, like earthworms squirming in a bowl filled with salt.

Leonard, on the other hand, had no idea why his friends acted strangely after the arrival of Amy Farrah Fowler. _How did the three of them know her? Was she Howard's ex? Was she a scientist who competed with Sheldon in the past? And finally, the million dollar question, __**why were they looking at her as if they'd seen a ghost?**_

Curiosity is one of the greatest strengths that a scientist has. Sure enough, Leonard Hofstadter was one curious scientist. He would never let this slide, not until he knows about what happened between them and the woman who was recently introduced by the president.

Leonard cleared his throat, aiming to tame the vehement air surrounding them. "What's the matter? She looks like a lovely woman." he commented.

"Leonard, you already have Penny. May I remind you that one cannot row a single boat in opposite directions." Sheldon blurted. Leonard felt the wrinkles in his forehead multiply because of his statement. He reminded himself that in order to get the answer he wants, he needs to be patient. He took a deep breath and crossed his arms. "I didn't mean it that way." the bespectacled man started. "I felt like there's something going on with you and that girl and… I wanted to know that it is."

The three of them just looked at Leonard, who was now bowing his head because of embarrassment.

"Look, Leonard, we just didn't want you to be included in this mess." Raj admitted. "But if you're still curious, let us tell you a story."

"Two years ago, we enlisted Sheldon to an online dating site because we thought that if he gets preoccupied with someone, he'll finally stop being such a pain in the ass." Howard narrated, with eyes still on Leonard.

"We answered the questionnaires the way Sheldon would and we found a match for him. Her name is Amy Farrah Fowler. Unfortunately, Sheldon—" Raj turned to Sheldon. "Ditched the girl on their supposed date on a coffee shop."

Leonard let out a soft "oohh" sound after hearing their story. He knew Sheldon's aversion to physical interaction and intimacy, but he never thought that he was capable of actually ditching someone because of it.

Sheldon pursed his lips as he glanced at Amy, who was now roaming table to table with President Siebert. With panic written all over his face, he signaled his friends to leave the cafeteria before they reach their table. They finished their lunch as fast as they could then stood up and grabbed their trays. Just as they were about to leave, their pathway to escape was blocked by President Siebert and his companion.

"Now, I'll introduce you to the men of the Physics department! Here's Dr. Rajesh Koothrappali and Engineer Howard Wolowitz of the Astrophysics department." Amy extended her hand to the two men in front of her and shook their hands. "Also, Dr. Leonard Hofstadter of the Experimental Physics department." Out of courtesy, Leonard reached out his sweaty and shaky hand to meet Amy's own. President Siebert then turned to the tall figure beside Leonard. "Last but not the least, the undisputed star of Science Today, none other than Dr. Sheldon Cooper of the Theoretical Physics department!" he proclaimed proudly. When it was time for her to shake Sheldon's hand, she tightened her grip, causing him to twitch a little. An overwhelming spark of electricity flowed into Sheldon's entire body when his skin touched hers.

Amy locked her eyes with Sheldon, who was now feeling his legs turn soft as the jello he was eating earlier. He didn't know what her look meant. _Was she happy? Sad? Angry?_ Given his lack of social interaction with other people, it was almost impossible for him to decipher what she was trying to imply.

After a few seconds. Amy finally let go of Sheldon's hand. The president sensed familiarity between the two of them, like they have met each other before. "By any chance Dr. Fowler, have you met Dr. Cooper already?" he questioned, trying not to sound as if he was prying about their private lives.

The president's inquiry caused Amy to let out a small smile. "Yes, I believe that we know each other." Amy replied curtly.

President Siebert clapped in delight. "Wonderful! At least adjusting here would be somehow easier for you."

Sheldon grunted at Amy's response. He had to leave, or else she might say something about the date. He was about to lose hope but the bell suddenly rang, signaling that the lunch break was over. The pathway to escape had finally shown itself.

"Excuse us, but we have to go back to our offices since lunch break's over." he said in a fake apologetic voice. Sheldon used his koala face and turned to Amy, who was still looking at him with undecipherable intent in her eyes. "It was wonderful finally seeing you, Dr. Fowler. See you around the university." he remarked as he and the boys hurried to their respective offices.

No one dared to talk about their encounter with Amy during their walk. As Sheldon reached his office, he immediately locked the door and leaned on it.

_That was close, Sheldon thought. Thank goodness for the invention of school bells._

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Sheldon did everything in his power to forget everything that happened during their lunch break. However, with his eidetic memory, he still can't erase the look Amy Farrah Fowler gave him earlier. Her emerald orbs haunted his mind, forbidding him to accomplish anything. Thoughts about their encounter filled his mind until he eventually lost track of time.

"Sheldon?" asked Leonard as he opened the door of Sheldon's office. His train of thought was interrupted by his roommate's arrival. "Pardon me, what is it Leonard?" he replied.

Leonard glanced at the clock above Sheldon's head. "It's 20 minutes past 5 pm, we were supposed to drop by the comic book store for new comic book night." Leonard stated with a hint of concern in his voice. For the past few years that they've been together, he was very certain that Sheldon never forgets his schedules. It bothered Leonard that he was not adhering to his normally strict schedule, given that his roommate is the poster boy for punctuality,

"Yes, right." Sheldon nodded. He stood up from his chair and wore his belt bag and windbreaker. "Let's go."

Although he loved Sheldon's silence during their walk to the car, Leonard knows that something is not right. Leonard glanced at him through his peripheral vision. He was just walking. _Just walking,_ not complaining about a mediocre problem or an annoying co-worker who ruined his mood.

With his uneasiness getting the best of him, Leonard convinced himself that had to intervene.

"Would you want to talk to about what happened with Amy earlier?"

Sheldon gasped upon hearing the question. He suddenly stopped walking. "Now you're referring to her by her first name? Wow Leonard, I never thought you were _that_ kind of guy." he grunted. Leonard's grin grew wider with his response. _Yes, that's it. Let's get that old Sheldon back. _

Leonard tried to played dumb and innocent. "Don't mind me, I was just curious. Given your problems in dealing with closure, aren't you bothered with how things ended with you and Dr. Fowler?"

Leonard knew he hit the right button with his last statement. Sheldon stared blankly at him, with Leonard's words ringing into his head.

_Closure._

_Dr. Fowler._

**_Closure with Dr. Fowler. _**

Sheldon gripped Leonard's arm and lead him to another direction. He dragged him towards the exit of the Physics building. "Sheldon, what are you doing?"

"Closure, Leonard. I'm giving her the closure that she deserves."

_Mission accomplished. _Leonard smirked in triumph as they reached the door of the newly renovated Biology building.

Sheldon looked at each door that he and Leonard passed by. He was unsuccessful in finding her name engraved in one of those doors. When they were about to leave the building, they saw a delivery man carrying a small package. After looking closer to see the consignee, shock filled their faces.

_Amy Farrah Fowler. _

They followed the delivery man discreetly, trying not to look suspicious. He led them to the last door of the long corridor. They waited for a few minutes for the delivery man to leave before they made their way in front of the door.

"You knock the door." Sheldon ordered Leonard. The other shook his head in response. "Why would I? The reason why we're here is because of you. Plus, I barely know the woman." he insisted.

Sheldon rolled his eyes in annoyance. "This was a bad decision. Let's go, Leonard." he said as he tugged Leonard's arm again. Leonard removed Sheldon's hand with brute force then turned his face towards him. "Averting the problem won't solve anything. You have to finish what you started."

Feeling defeated, Sheldon let out a long sigh. He took all the courage he could muster to knock the door before him.

_*knock knock knock* Amy Farrah Fowler_

_*Knock knock knock* Amy Farrah Fowler_

_*knock knock knock* Amy Farrah Fowler_

Sheldon felt his heart beat rapidly, as if it was about to escape from his rib cage. He clutched his pants tightly as he and Leonard waited for the door to be opened.

This feeling was new to him, for he had never felt this nervous in his entire life. His eyes watched in anticipation as a woman opened the door for them.

Amy looked different from the first time they met her. Her hair was in a tight ponytail while her incredibly thick layer of clothing is now covered by her long-sleeved laboratory gown. She smiled at sight of them. "Can I do anything for you, gentlemen?" she inquired.

Leonard glanced at Sheldon, who was now stunned. Since he wasn't going to talk anytime soon, he took the initiative to state the reason why they paid her a visit.

"Uhm, we would like to talk to you, in private."

Amy ushered the two of them inside her lab. Leonard's eyes roamed the entire room. There wasn't much inside, only a few piles of unopened laboratory stocks and equipment. He turned back his attention to Amy, who was standing in front of them.

"I-I think you remember my friend right here, not just from your recent interaction with him but because… well, of another reason." Leonard said in a shaky voice as he pinched Sheldon back to reality. "I wasn't really involved with what happened, but I would like to explain Sheldon's side to you. You see, the other two men you met earlier, Dr. Koothrappali and Engr. Wolowitz, set up Sheldon in a dating site without his consent. They meant no harm, they just wanted him to meet someone who can, you know, make his steel heart collapse." Leonard narrated.

Amy let out another smile. "I do appreciate the sentiment, but I also want to hear some words coming from him." The brunette pointed her index finger to Sheldon, who was quiet the entire time. Sheldon felt another pinch coming from Leonard, telling him that it was about time for him to say something.

Sheldon took a huge step forward, almost filling the gap between him and Amy. He remembered his mom's advice in dealing with awkward situations. _Be calm and respectful. Own up to your mistakes. Say sorry when you know you're at fault._ Now feeling confident as ever, he locked his eyes with Amy's. "I'm sorry if I ditched you. I never meant to hurt your feelings. Personal interaction and intimacy are just not my cup of tea." he said with seriousness and sincerity in his voice. "I hope this incident would not taint our professional relationship." Sheldon added.

Amy shook her head as she accepted his apology. "Certainly, Dr. Cooper. Thank you for clarifying your side.

Leonard tapped Sheldon's shoulder, indirectly saying that he did a wonderful job in handling the situation with Amy. If only his mom could see him, she would be so proud.

After reaching a conclusion to their dilemma, Leonard told Amy that it was about time for them to head out. Still smiling, Amy opened the door for her visitors. "Thanks for stopping by. I hope to see you two around."

"Thank you as well, Dr. Fowler." Leonard replied as they stepped out of her laboratory. They exchanged glances one last time before she started closing the door. Just before the lock clicked, Sheldon's hand stopped the door from fully closing.

"Dr. Fowler, I think it's necessary for me to make amends for my behavior." Sheldon firmly stated. "Dr. Hofstadter and I are roommates, so I think he wouldn't mind if I invite you over for dinner."

Amy was shocked by the sudden invitation. She had never been invited to dinner by anyone before. As excited as she was, she was afraid of going to a stranger's house. Her mom never let her play with other kids in their neighborhood, for she insists that it is not safe to interact with people she just met. This attitude of her mother was the reason she ended up having no friends until now.

Amy contemplated about their offer. _Hmmm, the two of them seemed nice and reputable people, she thought. _

**_Maybe one dinner with them wouldn't hurt. _**

"I see no reason to refuse. Thank you for the offer, I'd gladly accept it."

Sheldon grinned upon hearing her answer. "Dinner starts at 7 pm. Given that I still have your email from the dating site, I will email you our address later."

"In return for my acceptance of your offer, I want you to drop the formality. After all, we are colleagues. I would want the both of you to call me by my first name."

Sheldon and Leonard shook their heads. Sheldon gripped his belt bag as he gazed at her. "Well then, see you later, Amy."

When they started to walk away, Amy shut the door. She returned to the microscope slide that she was observing prior to the arrival of her visitors. Only a few moments later, her phone vibrated.

**_1 New Email _**

_From: Sheldon Lee Cooper (sheldonleecooper )_

_To: Amy Farrah Fowler (affowler )_

_Greetings!_

_As promised, here is our full address: 2311 North Los Robles Avenue, Apartment 4A. Note that the parking in front of our apartment is free of charge, so you can park if you want to (that is, if you own a car)._

_I will be anticipating your arrival at exactly 7 pm._

_Yours Truly,_

_Sheldon Lee Cooper_

Amy felt giddiness enter her system after reading his email. She placed her phone back to her pocket, with a wide grin painted on her face.

_Well, it seems like her move to Caltech wasn't a bad idea at all. _

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**_A/N: I hope you liked it. See you next chapter! _**


	3. The Dinner Anticipation

**_A/N: I'm sorry for the late update! I tried my hardest to patch this chapter up during my extremely short breaks. Again, I would like to thank everyone who read and reviewed the last chapter! You don't know how happy I am when I read your thoughts about my story._**

_**I hope you'll like it, please tell me what you think about in the reviews.**_

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**CHAPTER THREE: THE DINNER ANTICIPATION**

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_Green._

_The cars, the buildings, the billboards, all of them were enveloped in a certain shade of green._

Sheldon blinked, trying to get a grasp of reality. He looked around once more, hoping that everything will return to normal. However, it didn't. Everything still looked the same.

_Everything was still green._

He squeezed his temples as he resorted to his final option. He shut his eyes, leaving all of the traces of green behind. Now, he couldn't see anything but pitch black.

A few minutes in, a light slowly approached him. It was like the sun, the only thing is that it wasn't of the same color. He focused more closely as he identified the source of light.

_Closer._

_Just a bit closer._

Sheldon tightened his grip on his pants as he looked closely at the two orbs which were staring back at him. Emerald. Just like her eyes.

In numerous instances, Sheldon had always boasted the privileges that only his eidetic memory could bestow him. Throughout the years, this remarkable memory had been very beneficial to him, both in his personal and professional life. He could recite pi in any place value he wants without even trying, he could remember how much Penny owes him for all the food she had at their apartment and most importantly, he could memorize all formulas and equations with just one glance. "Life is easier with eidetic memory" has been his mantra for as long as he could remember. Much to his dismay, those good old days already ended today. For the first time, Sheldon Cooper admitted that having an eidetic memory is both a blessing and a curse.

Sheldon slowly opened his eyes. _Good lord, he mumbled._ No matter how hard he try to forget it, those green eyes still find its way to crawl back to his mind.

His eyes traveled left, relieved to see Leonard sitting beside him. Because of the intrapersonal dilemma that he was battling, he didn't even notice that Leonard was listening to the radio. He wanted to turn off the music and tell him that he violated section 1, article 6 of the roommate agreement, but he believed that he had more important things to attend to. With shaky hands, he reached out for his phone and opened his email.

If I just allowed the lock of the door to click, then I wouldn't have to be in this miserable state.

He knew well that his mother didn't raise a coward who isn't true to his words. With a defeated sigh, he started to compose a message to Amy Farrah Fowler, as he promised.

_Well, it's now or never._

Despite of his reluctance, he still pressed send.

He glanced at his phone, waiting for her to reply. A part of him wanted her to decline and say that she has other things to do. He wasn't ready to face her again, especially after how Leonard did most of the work for him when they went to visit her. Sheldon leaned forward and reached for the volume button of the radio. He pressed thrice, successfully lowering the volume of the current Jonas Brothers song that was playing.

"Oh, sorry if I opened the radio. You were too deep in your thoughts so I didn't bother you." Leonard apologized.

"It's fine. I would want to ask something of you."

Leonard turned his face to Sheldon, bewildered that he didn't nag him for playing the radio. Thank goodness for the traffic, or else they could've swerved lanes because Leonard took his eyes off the road.

"Sure buddy, what is it?"

Sheldon looked at his best friend, whose eyes were closely watching his every move. "Is it okay if we suspend new comic book night and just head home?" he asked softly. Leonard bulged his eyes upon hearing his plea. Earlier, he left the office 20 minutes later than his usual schedule and now, he wants to skip their weekly new comic book day? He couldn't believe it, not only once, but twice did Sheldon deviate from his normal routine today.

Leonard stared at him blankly for another ten seconds. The bespectacled driver only came back to his senses when he heard several angry beeping sounds from the cars behind them, signaling that they must start moving immediately. He turned away from Sheldon and started driving once again.

Sheldon grunted, showing his displeasure upon the recent interruption. Leonard still owed him an answer. He cleared his throat to ask him once more. "Well, what do you think?"

"I don't mind. Besides, we can always drop by the comic bookstore anytime we want. On the other hand, it's not every day you invite someone at our place for dinner." Leonard smirked. Sheldon felt heat radiate through his ears because of how his best friend naughtily delivered his statement. As much as Sheldon hated to break his tightly bound schedule, it was already 5:45 in the afternoon and he deduced that they would be late for dinner if they proceed with their usual ritual of gathering at Stuart's shop. Knowing their awkward history, Sheldon didn't want to ditch Amy for the second time around.

After getting past the horrendous traffic, the two physicists finally reached Los Robles avenue in no time. A sudden wave of nervousness hit Sheldon as he started unclasping his seatbelt. His pants showed that his hands have been evidently perspiring non-stop upon their arrival. They walked towards their apartment floor with only a tense, quiet air accompanying them. Leonard grabbed his keys from his pocket and opened the door. Just as they were about to enter, the door behind them opened, revealing a tall, blonde figure emerging from the inside.

"Hey!" Penny remarked as she went over to kiss Leonard on the cheek. "What took you guys so long?" she questioned. Leonard gazed at Sheldon, his eyes asked if he could tell Penny everything that has happened today. Sheldon rolled his eyes in response. "Do as you please. I don't even care, Leonard." he replied as he closed the door and rushed to his spot on the couch.

Penny shot her boyfriend an unknowing look, which Leonard returned with a small smile. "You won't believe what happened today." he grinned, reminiscing every single thing about their encounter with the mysterious Amy Farrah Fowler. "I'll come over and tell you everything."

Penny escorted Leonard to her apartment, looking forward to hear about his story. Before they could enter 4B, Leonard remembered something and ran back to his apartment.

"Sheldon?" he said as he knocked on the door. "What would you want for dinner?"

Leonard heard him pause the television. A brief silence filled Sheldon's room.

"For god's sake, I don't even know. My schedule for tonight is already wrecked so I won't mind if you pick what's for dinner."

Strike three. Leonard flickered his eyes in disbelief. Sheldon Cooper allowed him to pick a food for dinner? What the heck got into him today?

He turned at Penny who was watching him in anticipation. "What would a girl like for dinner?" Leonard asked.

Penny was unsure how to answer his question. _Was this based on what I would like, or on what I think another girl would like?_

"For a fact, most women appreciate fancy dinner dates. But if it's dinner at home, I think takeout or pizza's fine." Penny knowingly stated. She emphasized the "women appreciate fancy dinner dates" part, hoping that Leonard could take a cue for their next date night.

"Very well. Sheldon, is pizza okay with you?"

Sheldon huffed. This day had already been disastrous, so he was convinced that there's nothing left for him to lose. "Pizza it is." he replied. After Leonard made the call to their favorite pizzeria, a giddy Penny tugged Leonard's arm and dragged him with her, eager for him to spill the beans.

* * *

_Dr. Wackadoodle is having a girl over for dinner! Make sure to swing by at 7 so you won't miss this momentous event. – P_

_Wait, a girl? Like, an actual girl? – B_

_Yes, she recently just moved to Caltech today. You won't believe what Leonard told me earlier about her and Sheldon! – P_

_Oh my god, spill the tea! – B _

_Seems like our little Shelly had an affair with this girl two years ago. Now that she's back, Sheldon can't get himself together. – P_

_Holy freaking crap! Fill me with the details later. Also, put the kettle on, I'll be there at 6:30. – B_

The news of Sheldon inviting a woman over for dinner spread like wildfire in their small social group. Penny, given her inclination to gossip, became the sole catalyst of the fire.

It was already 6:11, but Bernadette was still in the middle of work. She was ought to leave the laboratory at 7 since she still had several papers to file for the new drug that she has been testing. The blonde twirled her locks and contemplated the pros and cons of ditching her work to come over at Sheldon's for dinner. After a few moments of thinking, Bernadette wore her coat and grabbed her sling bag. She concluded that if it meant seeing the girl Sheldon was romantically interested in, she'll wholeheartedly go to work early and face the mountain of paperwork that will welcome her the next morning.

Excitement and enthusiasm filled her veins as she hastily went downstairs to fetch her car. Aside from the fact that she wanted to somehow pry with Sheldon's newfound romantic interest, she was also genuinely happy that this dinner could lead to something magical for her friend. That might sound unbelievable coming from the harsh and blunt Bernadette that their social group was accustomed to, but it was genuinely true. Despite of her harsh words, deep down, she also wanted him to find someone he can spend his entire life with.

Upon reaching her parking spot, Bernadette hopped inside her car. Her phone chimed a few times, but she didn't mind picking it up. She just smiled to herself and drove faster, yearning to hear from Penny everything that she needed to know.

_6:30 pm. _

A sudden knock sent shivers down Sheldon's entire body. Could it be her? Sheldon stood up from his spot, feeling an incredible weight upon his shoulders. His shaky fingers latched to the door's handle, slowly opening it. He closed his eyes for a second, afraid that he might faint at the sight of her. Unfortunately, it wasn't the smell of cherries that welcomed him. It was the meaty smell of pizza.

"Dr. Sheldon Cooper? Here's your pizza delivery." the delivery man smiled as he handed him four boxes of pizza. Sheldon took his wallet which was sitting beside their key bowl and gave the exact amount to the delivery man. After receiving the money, he took his red cap off and bid Sheldon goodbye.

Sheldon placed the pizzas in the center table in front of the couch. He stared at the boxes as she felt the rapid beating of his heart.

_Holy freaking goodness, that was a close one._

_6:45 pm._

Sheldon anxiously looked at the clock, watching closely the movement of each hand. He tried watching Star Trek to ease his nervousness, but it didn't work. All he could think about was how dreadfully close the clock was to reach 7. Feeling hopeless, he turned off the player and placed the CD back to its respective box. He was already done, but before he could return the box to its place in their shelf, he was rattled by the sudden opening of the door.

"Hey, Sheldon!" Bernadette greeted, with Penny walking alongside her. The both of them seemed to be in such a good mood. "Looking tense, aren't we?" she giggled, turning Sheldon's face upside down.

"Oh no, moonpie. This is a big night, you can't frown like that!" Penny said as she approached him.

"It's just a dinner, Penny. A casual dinner. The only reason I invited her tonight is because I was feeling guilty about what I did to her before. My mother had raised me to become a Texan gentleman, and that is what I am trying to do with this gesture." Sheldon insisted firmly. Despite of his honesty, Penny and Bernadette can't help but give him a mischievous smile. Leonard might've argued in the past that Sheldon does not possess hormones, but they all know that beneath his emotionless nature, there still lies a man inside him. Penny and Bernadette was certain that with the help of the right woman, his so-called "non-existent" hormones would get going like of a rowdy teenager.

As Penny approached him, she noticed how uneasy Sheldon had been since their arrival. In an attempt to console him, she went closer and held his sweaty hands. "Calm down, Sheldon. Everything's going to be just fine, trust me." she assured him. Penny led him to the couch and sat down with him.

Bernadette, who was sitting in the lone chair, also gave her encouragement by tapping Sheldon by the shoulder. Sheldon let out a small smile, appreciating the kindness that his friends have given him. "It's just a dinner, there's nothing to worry about." he said, but this time, with conviction. Bernadette grinned upon hearing the change of tone in his voice. "You're Sheldon Lee Cooper, what's the worst thing that could happen?"

* * *

_7:00 pm. _

The clock's hands finally reached 7 and 12. The gang was curled up on the couch, with all eyes intensely glaring at the door. Sheldon made cranking sounds as he tightly gripped his water bottle. Where is she? What is taking her so long? He wanted to message her that it was already one minute past 7, but he stopped himself from doing so. If he endured several hours of waiting earlier, he was sure that waiting for a few minutes more would be just a breeze.

Sheldon glanced at everyone, who was sharing the same nervous look in their faces. He didn't want to admit it, but he felt really grateful for the support that his friends had showered him the entire day. Inviting Amy over for dinner with his friends was certainly a better idea than having to face her alone in a fancy restaurant.

He looked at the clock once again. _7:10 pm._

He opened his phone to check for new messages coming from her, but he didn't get any.

_Maybe she isn't really going to come. Maybe she wanted to return the favor by ditching me as well, the same way I did to her._

When the clock hit the 7:15 mark, Sheldon stood up to grab another bottle of water.

"Look, Sheldon. I'm sor—"

"Don't be, Leonard." he interjected. "I deserve it. I stood her up two years ago, so I can't expect her to forgive me with open arms." Sheldon said as he twisted the cap of his bottle.

He felt a mysterious pang of guilt and sadness hit him. He initially wanted her to decline his offer but on the back of his mind, he also wanted her to accept it, for he wanted to learn more about her in order to feed his curiosity.

With a disappointed look painted in his face, he walked back to the couch and opened one box of pizza. "I think we must consume this before it gets col—"

His sentence was cut short when a loud knock resonated inside the room. All of them turned at each other, verifying if the sound they heard was not just a fraction of their imagination. They were stunned when the knock occurred again. Howard let out a warm smile to Sheldon, who was currently standing like a statue in front of them.

"Open the door, Sheldon. She's waiting for you." he whispered softly. Without a word, Sheldon walked to the door and clutched the handle. He let out a deep sigh before he opened the door.

His eidetic memory served him well. He was right, she did smell like cherries.

* * *

_**A/N: Thank you for reading until here! Next up, the dinner at 4A.**_


	4. The Friendship Commencement

**_A/N: Thank you for patiently waiting! I'm sorry again for the delay, I hope you'll continue to stick with this story despite of my irregular updates. Please enjoy and let me know what you think about it in the reviews. _**

* * *

**_CHAPTER FOUR: THE FRIENDSHIP COMMENCEMENT_**

* * *

Amy drove home at exactly 6:20 pm to freshen herself up before going to Los Robles. Growing up, she had never been invited to a casual lunch or dinner before (her lunches with colleagues about work doesn't count) so she didn't know the protocol on how this type of gathering works. All she knows is that she wanted the dinner to go well, for she was hoping to finally make friends with the people in her new workplace.

Given the time constraint, she took a much shorter shower than the one she usually has. After showering, she wore her white robe, wrapped her hair in a towel, and stood blankly in front of her closet. She didn't have a vast variety of formal clothes; she only had a few dresses, two pairs of jeans, and a whole bunch of blouses, cardigans, and skirts. She contemplated wearing her normal "cardigan and skirt combo" but she immediately dismissed the thought. Instead, she decided to wear something special for this occasion. Amy grabbed the black, knee-length dress she wore only during her doctoral graduation. A smile escaped her lips as her fingers ran through the fabric of the dress. She wasn't a fan of public speaking, but she can't help but feel giddy whenever she remembers the time when she delivered her speech in front of the people who mocked her and made fun of her in graduate school. The look of horror in their faces was something Amy wanted to commit to her memory for the rest of her life.

Despite of her excitement to wear the dress, Amy was worried that it might not fit her anymore since it has been years since the last time she wore it. Thankfully upon trying it, the dress still fit her perfectly. The black-dressed showcased her body's curves that were usually covered in a thick layer of clothing. When she was already satisfied with her look, she grabbed her coat and purse then left her apartment.

The drive to Los Robles only took a few minutes. Amy stopped in front of their apartment building and parked her car just as Sheldon instructed. As she was about to leave the car, her watch suddenly beeped and vibrated, signaling that it was time for her to take her medications.

"Damn!" Amy uttered. Because of the preparations for the dinner at 4A, she completely forgot to take her medicines. She tried to scan the area for a nearby pharmacy, but she wasn't able to find any. Amy glanced at her watch to check the time. 7:12.

With a heavy sigh, Amy decided not to go back to her apartment to fetch her medicines and just push through with the dinner. She walked inside the apartment building, hoping that an elevator would welcome her but alas, she was dismayed when she saw that the elevator was not working. Amy groaned in annoyance as she stared at the staircase. It was clear to her that she had no choice but to run hastily towards their apartment floor to make it in time. Feeling defeated, Amy ran towards 4A as if her life depended on it.

Amy reached the fourth floor in no time. She clutched her chest while she leaned on 4A's door.

She felt the continuous beeping of her watch as she tried to catch her breath. When she already gained her composure, she took all the courage she could muster to knock the door before her.

Amy waited a few seconds for a response, but there was no one who opened the door for her.

She was starting to get nervous. What if the address Sheldon gave her was wrong? Despite of her nervousness, Amy curled her fists and decided to knock again.

She felt her heart rate quicken as the door swung open, revealing a lanky, tall man wearing a red flash t-shirt. Sheldon finally met the emerald eyes that haunted him the entire day. He blinked, trying to see if this encounter was true. Amy Farrah Fowler was standing in front of his door, looking absolutely different from the last time they saw her. She wore a black knee-length dress and her cardigan was replaced by a brown coat. Her cheeks were flushed, her hair was slightly disheveled, and her breathing was erratic as if she ran before getting there. His curious eyes examined her as if she was something of great importance. When their eyes finally met, Amy smiled at Sheldon.

"Hello, I'm sorry I was late." she said in an apologetic voice. _This was the first time anyone ever invited me to a dinner and I arrive a few minutes late? Way to go, Fowler._

Sheldon returned her smile and ushered her in. "Don't worry, it was no big deal."

"No big deal, huh." Leonard said under his breath, making Penny and Bernadette giggle.

As Amy entered the apartment, she was surprised to see a lot of unfamiliar faces gathered in the couch. "Forgive me, I wasn't able to inform you that my friends will be joining the dinner because they wanted to meet you."

Penny took it as a cue to finally introduce herself to Sheldon's new lady friend. She stood up and started walking towards Amy. "Hello Amy, it's so good to meet you! I'm Penny, by the way, Leonard's girlfriend." She said as she enveloped the confused brunette into a tight hug.

After Penny broke the hug, another blonde rose from her seat. "And I'm Bernadette, Howard's girlfriend." Bernadette stretched her arm to Amy and enthusiastically shook her hand.

Never did Amy consider being in the same social gathering with the likes of Penny and Bernadette. Those pretty girls were the kind of girls who picked on her in school, so it took her by surprise that they were completely different from the blondes she had encountered before.

"You've met the guys earlier, so no need to re-introduce them." Sheldon said as he sat down on his spot. Raj approached Amy and grabbed her left hand. "It's nice to meet you, Amy." Raj uttered seductively as he bent down to kiss Amy's hand.

Being bothered by his gesture, Howard finally stood up and separated Raj from Amy. "I'm sorry, Raj tends to get overwhelmed around women."

Penny scooted closer to Leonard to give space for Amy on the couch. She slowly tapped the foam, telling Amy to come and sit down with them.

"So, Amy…" Penny started. "Tell us more about yourself."

Amy had always deemed herself uninteresting enough to be a center of a conversation, that's why she didn't know where to start. Knowing that some of them are her colleagues at work, she decided to just fill them in about her academic career. "Well, I got my Ph.D. in Neurobiology from Harvard three years ago. I've been engrossed in the study of addiction, so I did a lot of post-doctoral research about it. At first, I don't intend to leave Harvard but President Siebert offered me to lead the newly formed Neurobiology team in Caltech so, here I am."

"President Siebert offered you the job personally? Wow, you must be really someone really big in that Neurobiology thing." Penny remarked, grinning. She felt blood rush through her cheeks because of her compliment.

"I don't know, but I have been featured in some scientific journals and magazines." Amy replied humbly.

"Have you, by any chance, been featured in Neuron, the Biology magazine?" Bernadette inquired.

"Yes, I have been on the cover twice."

The bespectacled blonde clapped her hands in realization. "Now that explains why your face was so familiar!"

Most of the people she knew who are blonde and beautiful only spent their time trying to make themselves appear more beautiful with the use of cosmetics, so Amy was surprised that a woman as beautiful as Bernadette enjoyed reading scientific magazines like Neutron. "You read Neutron?" she asked.

"Yup, I have a monthly subscription to it, sponsored by my company." Bernadette casually replied. "I forgot to tell you, I have a Ph.D. in Microbiology. I develop drugs and other medicine-related stuff."

Amy's mouth fell open about what Bernadette just said. If she didn't take up Neurobiology, she was certain that she'd end up being in the field of Microbiology. She wanted to ask a lot of questions about her work, but then she realized that tonight is not a great time to talk about it. Tonight was about socialization, not merely Science talk. She made up her mind to invite her for coffee some time to talk about their respective fields in Biology.

"Let's skip the pig Latin and focus on the juicy details." Penny interjected. "Can you share with us how you and our Shelly met each other?"

The memories of that day suddenly hit Amy. Amy looked at everyone, whose eyes were fixed on her. It was never meant to go this far, for it was supposed to be a one-time thing. She only made an account on that preposterous dating site to meet someone whom she can date so that her mom would stop pestering her. Never had she imagined that after two years, she would eventually meet the guy who ditched her on their date and that she would agree to have dinner at his apartment with his friends.

"I encountered Sheldon on a dating site. It is my obligation to my mother to attend to at least one date annually."

"So, that does mean that when Sheldon ditched you, you had to look for another guy to date?" Leonard questioned.

"Yes. I found another guy on the same dating site I used to match with Sheldon. Unfortunately, that date also ended badly." She narrated as she recalled the date she had after the one was supposed to have with Sheldon. The guy wasn't that bad, he worked as a Chemistry professor in a local high school. The only problem was instead of trying to get to know Amy, he spent their entire date talking about his thirteen dogs. Amy was fond of animals (especially monkeys) so she was initially thrilled to know that she and her date had something in common. However, when Amy tries to shift the topic, he only reverts the discussion back to his dogs and how adorably cute they are when they sleep. In the end, Amy stormed out of the café and indulged herself with books to quell her anger.

Sheldon stared at Amy as she told them about her unsuccessful date. This dinner was supposed to alleviate his guilt, not intensify it. Sheldon thought that if he just showed up at the café, then she wouldn't have to experience spending a few hours listening to a man who kept on blabbering about his dogs. Also, Sheldon can't help but wonder about the possibilities that might happen if he decided to push through with his supposed date with Amy Farrah Fowler. Would he enjoy spending time with her? Would they end up being friends?

Sheldon was snapped back to reality when he heard laughing sounds from his friends. Seems like Amy told them a few funny stories about her previous dates.

"During college, I hired someone to accompany me to a party and to act as my fake boyfriend. Little did I know that the guy I hired was the boyfriend of one of my classmates! When my classmate saw us, she drenched my white dress in plum juice." Amy said, laughing.

"That's unfortunate!" Howard commented, trying to suppress his laughter.

"Good thing I was living in a dormitory back then, or else my mom would kill me if she knew that I attended that party."

Penny placed her hand on Amy's lap. "I'm sorry you had to go through that, sweetie." She apologized with all sincerity. Amy shook her head in response. "No, no, I'm completely over it. I knew I was different that's why the people who didn't understand me did their best to make my life miserable." There was a faint sadness in Amy's voice. While she always boasted being unique from other people, there was also a part in her that wanted to be just like everyone else. If she was like everyone, then she wouldn't have to experience all the hardships that her classmates put her in throughout her life.

"I do agree with you, for I too have my own share hardships as a child. However, these hardships only helped me grow more as a person. Without it, I don't think I will be who I currently am." Sheldon remarked.

Amy was relieved that there was someone she could relate to, someone who shared almost the same experiences she had as a child. She was sure that at some point in his life, he was also subjected to the ridicule of his peers because of his intelligence.

"Who's starving? Let's dig in and continue this conversation while we're eating." Raj said as he flipped the pizza box open. The group munched their pizzas as they talked about things about their lives. Penny shared her distress about not getting the part she auditioned for in a play, Raj talked about his plans on adopting a dog and naming it Cinnamon, Leonard and Howard disclosed their plans for a new satellite, Bernadette whined about her boss who didn't give her office its own coffee maker, and Sheldon expressed his annoyance regarding the jello in the cafeteria earlier.

Amy couldn't help but observe the group in awe since everyone seemed to be so comfortable with each other. Is this what having friends looked like? A part of her somehow envied Sheldon for having this wonderful group of friends. She wanted to have friends too, friends with whom she can share her worries and thoughts, friends who will stay with her when times are tough, and friends whom she can be comfortable with.

"Hey Ames, you okay?" Penny asked as she noticed Amy suddenly spacing out.

"No—I meant yes, I'm fine. I'm sorry for spacing out like that." Amy replied. "And, Ames? Was that supposed to be me?"

Penny let out a small laugh as she looked at Amy's confused face. "I'm sorry sweetie, I just like making up nicknames for my friends. But if you don't like it, I can always revert it back to Amy."

_Friend._

_Penny considers her as her friend._

She wanted to scream and jump out of joy. It was the very first time that someone acknowledged her as their friend.

"No worries, Penny." She said as she tried to hide her grin. "Ames is fine."

* * *

Indeed, time flies when you are having fun. It was already 11 pm, and Amy lost track of time because she enjoyed the conversations she shared with the group throughout their dinner. As much as she wanted to stay longer, she knew she had to go home because she had work tomorrow.

"I had a great time tonight, thank you for inviting me to dinner."

"We enjoyed hanging out with you, Amy. Would you mind if we invite you again sometime soon?" Leonard asked.

"Of course, that works for me."

Amy stood up from her place on the couch, Penny and Bernadette encased her into a hug before she reached for her coat and purse. "It was lovely meeting all of you." she remarked as she stepped out of the group's circle and walked towards the door.

"Wait." Sheldon's plead stopped Amy from opening the door. "Let me walk you to your car."

Amy just nodded and smiled at his kind gesture. Sheldon took her nod as a yes and went to follow her outside. Amy looked at him intently as he shut the door of 4A.

"You have wonderful friends, Sheldon. Thank you for inviting them, I really had a wonderful time." Amy remarked as Sheldon walked alongside her.

"Yes, they are indeed a delightful group of peers." Sheldon commented.

"I hope I could find friends like that too." she whispered to herself, but Sheldon was able to hear her. Sheldon wasn't good at deciphering emotions, but he was sure that he heard pain and sadness in her voice. Sheldon then remembered the stories Amy told about her childhood. Her experiences mirrored Sheldon's own, so he knew firsthand how tough it must've been for her, living her entire life inside the four walls of her home.

Before they could even reach the door of the lobby, Sheldon ceased walking. The seriousness in his face made Amy wonder if she did something wrong to upset him.

"What's the matter, Sheldon?" she asked.

"I won't object to the idea of being your friend."

"I beg your pardon?"

"You have told us stories about your terrible childhood, how you were never allowed to interact with other people and that you never had any friends." Sheldon firmly narrated. "So, I'm telling you that if you're interested, I'm willing to be your friend."

Amy couldn't believe what she was hearing. Someone actually wanted to be friends with her? What kind of dream is this?

"L-Let me make this clear, a-are you proposing that we engage in a friendly relationship?"

Given his fear of rejection, Sheldon wanted to convince Amy he was serious about intentions of being her friend. He didn't respond quickly to Amy's question and instead, he tried to articulate a good reason that would make Amy accept his proposal.

"I am. With the short amount of time I've spent with you, I have seen that you're a person worthy of being a friend of someone as brilliant as I am. For starters, we can have a vast variety of topics to talk about since both are in the field of Science. Also, you seem to enjoy learning new things so befriending me would enable you to befriend a walking and talking encyclopedia. Lastly," his voice trailed off. "I have enjoyed your company for the past three hours and forty-five minutes."

Amy was taken aback by the sincerity of Sheldon's words. She couldn't help but give him the warmest smile she could offer. "I'd love that." Amy responded.

Sheldon started walking once again. He opened the door of the lobby for Amy as a Texan gentleman would. "Very well, I will be emailing you all my social media accounts so that we can keep in touch."

"I couldn't thank you enough, Sheldon. Have a great night ahead." Amy said after opening the door of her car.

"Consider yourself lucky Amy Farrah Fowler, not all people are friends with the great Sheldon Cooper." Sheldon whispered to himself as he watched Amy drive away from Los Robles.

**_A/N: Thank you for reading! Please tell me what you think about this chapter on the reviews. _**


	5. The Relationship Invitation

_**A/N: Happy new year, everyone! I am sorry it took me a very long time to update. I have been really busy for the past few months, mainly because of school-related stuff. I can't assure you when the next update will be but I'll try my best to write a few more chapters before our vacation is over. **_

_**Thank you for your continued support for this story! Please tell me what you think about this chapter in the reviews. **_

* * *

**_CHAPTER FIVE: THE RELATIONSHIP INVITATION_**

* * *

Amy and Sheldon established a "friendly relationship" after the dinner. Some nights, Leonard would catch Sheldon talking to Amy via skype or he would see Amy in their apartment playing "counterfactuals", a game they invented together. He didn't mind her presence, though. In fact, he was overjoyed to see that Sheldon was able to befriend someone who oddly resembles himself. Due to Amy's frequent visitation, they decided to invite her to their weekly dinners as well. Sheldon was worried that they might treat her a bit differently, given that she's as special as he is. Luckily, the gang welcomed her with open arms, allowing Amy to blend in over time. Sheldon's "once" closeted friend started going on bars due to Penny and Bernadette's influence. Sometimes, if they're not in the mood to drink, they'd go to the bowling center or to the theater to watch a chick-flick movie together.

If asked, Amy would definitely say that the past few months of her life in Caltech had been the most blissful she'd ever had in her entire life. She was surrounded by wonderful people, not to mention that her research team is also doing well enough to beat the university's deadline. The only thing that bothers her is the fact that any moment now, her mother will contact her once again. Not that she didn't want to communicate with her, she just hates the fact that her mother is so obsessed with finding the perfect mate for her. Over the years, her mother had successfully arranged her on numerous dates without her knowledge so she won't even be surprised if her mom decides to sign her up for another one this year.

_Getting married, starting a family… _Oh, if her mother only knew how many times those thoughts enter her mind each day. The hugging, the smooching, the cuddling, she wanted all of it. Her mom always reasoned that all Amy needed was a little push, but she thinks that her mom tends to go overboard sometimes. She's supposed to meet men out of her own will, not because of her annual obligation to her mother. Amy feels that going on dates out of respect to her mother's wishes draws her farther from the "true love" she was aiming to find.

As expected, the message of Amy's mom came a few weeks before July ended. Her mom's messages really frustrated Amy to death. The change in her demeanor was palpable that even the robotic Sheldon Cooper was able to notice it.

"I want to watch Pride and Prejudice tonight."

Sheldon looked at her, confused. "Excuse me?"

"You heard me. Besides, you have an eidetic memory, I'm very sure that you remember every single word that I just said." Amy replied as she started straightening her skirt. Her green eyes never left his face as she awaited his answer.

"Where is this sassy attitude coming from, _Amy Farrah Fowler?_' Sheldon crossed his arms, hesitant to give Amy the remote control. He was taken aback by her sudden declaration. Normal Amy would never, _never_, question his choice of movie. Something is off with her tonight and as a respectable scientist, it was his job to find out what that is.

"I have always been sassy, _Sheldon Lee Cooper_. If you don't mind, hand me the remote now."

"What is wrong with you? You seem testy."

Amy let out a long sigh. _There, even Sheldon noticed it._

"I'm just, I don't know… Mad? Pressured? Stressed?" she tried averting her gaze from the lanky physicist before her. "Maybe, all of the above?"

For all Sheldon knows, Amy Farrah Fowler had always been certain and confident. But right now, she's so vulnerable, as if she's a glass that's about to break any minute now.

"You know," Sheldon scooted closer to Amy, partially closing the huge gap between them. "My mom used to do something when I'm upset. If you want to try it, I'd be glad to oblige you."

A soft smile escaped Amy's face upon hearing his offer. "What kind of scientist would I be if I'd refuse this experiment?"

Sheldon completely closed the gap and enveloped Amy into a tight and warm hug. This gesture surprised Amy at first but eventually, she got the hang of it.

_Soft kitty,_

_Warm kitty, _

_Little ball of fur, _

_Happy kitty, _

_Sleepy kitty,_

_Purr, purr, purr_

"Again." she commanded. Given her emotional instability, Sheldon decided to oblige her once again.

As he continued cradling her, her thoughts drifted to how lucky Sheldon was to have such a kind and loving mother. She hasn't met her personally yet but based on Sheldon's stories, she's quite the opposite of her mother. She had supported him in all his endeavors, something that her mother never did her entire life. Amy hated the fact that even as an adult, she still wants to please her mother.

Amy tried to keep her tears to herself, but she was unable to, Recalling her rough relationship with her mother is very difficult for her and each time she does it, it only makes her cry.

Sheldon was about to let her go when he saw tears run down Amy's flush cheeks.

"Amy, you know that I'm not good at recognizing emotions but I can clearly see that something is wrong." Sheldon felt Amy pull away from his hug. She removed her glasses on and started wiping her tears. "I'm sorry I wasn't able to be of good company tonight."

"It's fine. Now, can we resume our postponed movie night?"

"Yeah, sure. Just pick out a movie you like."

Sheldon nodded in response as he grasped the remote control that was lying at the top of the center table. He rummaged through the CDs they rented while Amy started sipping the chamomile tea that she abandoned earlier.

When he was done putting the CD on the player, he came back to his spot on the couch. Amy was secretly hoping that he picked out something from Star Wars, for she was curious to know more about Han and Leia's relationship. She never told Sheldon that out of all the movies they've watched in the past, Star Wars was the only sci-fi franchise that she genuinely liked.

Much to her surprise, there wasn't a sci-fi movie waiting for her tonight.

Amy gasped upon looking at the tv screen. She glanced at Sheldon, whose eyes were fixed on the screen.

_She can't believe that she was able to make Sheldon Cooper watch Pride and Prejudice._

* * *

Amy hummed as she cleaned her used glassware. Her mom finally agreed to cancel the date if she sends a proof that she was able to date someone before their agreed deadline. She was desperate, yes, but not desperate enough to pick some random guy on the street to date with. She dismissed the thought of engaging on online dating sites again, given the horrendous dating experiences that the damned sites had given her. She needed an idea, something that would produce great results even if she exerted minimal effort.

Amy decided to leave the laboratory earlier than usual to pick up some ideas. Before she was able to leave the building, a grad student tapped her shoulder.

"The doors of breath, seal with a righteous kiss!" The young man dressed in a bellman's costume said as he swung his arms to his chest. Amy stared at him for a moment, unsure of what to do next.

"Uh... Can I help you?"

The man, who was now aware of Amy's confusion, bowed before her and extended his arm. "We have a play tomorrow entitled Romeo and Juliet and you can watch it for free! Here, take a flyer. Just present the stub at the bottom portion to get a free popcorn with a flavor of your choice!"

Amy took the pamphlet and afterward, the man waved her goodbye. She drove home with a bright smile plastered on her face. At last, a feasible idea finally hit her.

* * *

It's lunchtime and Sheldon and Leonard are walking towards the cafeteria. Leonard was visibly irked after hearing Sheldon's stories about Barry Kripke, the physicist Sheldon is currently working with. He didn't want to admit it in front of Sheldon, but Kripke is actually not bad of a physicist himself. He worked on a lot of research teams prior to applying to Caltech and has been recognized in numerous scientific journals. While Leonard thinks that joining the two would lead to a great breakthrough in the field of theoretical physics, he felt that Sheldon's unnecessary complaints were about to cut his extremely long patience.

On the way to the cafeteria, they saw Bert from Geology rushing towards them.

"Hey, hey, stop right there." Sheldon raised his palm in front of him, making Bert stop. "This is towards the physics department. What shady plan are you up to now, Bert?"

Panting, Bert clutched his chest and glared at the two men in front of him. "Look, I don't have time to deal with you. My future girlfriend is waiting by the biology department. See you!" he said as he shoved the two of them to the side.

The encounter with Bert left Sheldon and Leonard dumfounded. "Even Bert has a girlfriend? What the hell!" Leonard exclaimed.

"I don't care whose lip Bert is smooching, Leonard. Either way, let's just get this over with so I could resume my work now."

Sheldon sat at his normal spot in the table. His foul mood was quickly erased as he munched his favorite jello quietly. A few minutes after, Howard joined them for lunch.

"Oh, hey Howard. Where's Raj?" Leonard asked.

"I don't know. He was acting so strange earlier when I saw him. I saw him giggling like a love-struck teenager and I tell you, it's not a sight that you'd want to see." Howard replied as he placed his tray on the table.

"Isn't he like that all the time?"

"You have a point. But still, he was extra giggly this morning. He was muttering things to himself, but the only words that I was able to comprehend are _biology _and _girlfriend_."

Hearing those two words made Sheldon stop from eating. "Strange, Bert said he was also headed to the biology department to meet his 'future girlfriend'."

"Well, let's try not to overthink about it. Maybe they hired a bunch of new attractive women in the biology department?" Leonard said as he diverted his attention to his unfinished lunch.

Sheldon shook his head in response. "You have a fair point. Anyway, while you spend your lunchtime talking about this relationship nonsense, I'll be heading back to my office. As much as I hate being around Barry Kripke, I have no choice but to work alongside him for the next six months. I'm trying to speed things up if you know what I mean." he said, winking. Leonard let out a loud groan as he watched Sheldon walk away from the cafeteria.

"I hope the heavens would grant me patience for the next six months." the bespectacled physicist whispered to himself.

* * *

Sheldon's phone beeped. It was Kripke.

**_"Sorry Cooper, I will be late. Just headed to the biology dept. See u later, loser." _**

Sheldon stared at his phone in disbelief. Bert, Raj, and now Kripke? What on earth are they doing in the biology department?

He was about to return to the cafeteria to tell Leonard what happened but then, the announcement board near his office got his attention.

**_URGENT HIRING: BOYFRIEND _**

_Qualifications: _

\- _Must have a Ph.D. In any field of the academe_

\- _Eloquent and has great social skills_

\- _Has adequate knowledge about dancing_

\- _Willing to go on family reunions _

\- _Can play any musical instrument_

_If you think you are qualified, please drop your resume at Room 202 of the Biology Department. Accepted applicants will undergo further evaluation through a series of interviews and compatibility tests. _

_For other concerns and inquiries, contact Amy Farrah Fowler of the Biology Department via email or landline._


	6. The Boyfriend Application

**_A/N: Thank you to everyone who are continuously following this story! Whether you're active in reviewing or a silent reader, please know that I appreciate the effort (and patience!) you're exerting in reading this work._**

**_Anyway, I had fun reading all your comments on the previous chapter. As requested, here's some jelly Shelly! I hope you'll enjoy it as much as I enjoyed writing it._**

* * *

**_CHAPTER SIX: THE BOYFRIEND APPLICATION_**

* * *

**_URGENT HIRING: BOYFRIEND _**

_Qualifications: _

\- _Must have a Ph.D. In any field of the academe_

\- _Eloquent and has great social skills_

\- _Has adequate knowledge about dancing_

\- _Willing to go on family reunions _

\- _Can play any musical instrument_

_If you think you are qualified, please drop your resume at Room 202 of the Biology Department. Accepted applicants will undergo further evaluation through a series of interviews and compatibility tests. _

_For other concerns and inquiries, contact Amy Farrah Fowler via email: __affowler __._

Sheldon looked intensely at the flyer before him, still shocked by what he just read. He was certain that the Amy he knows would never post something as scandalous as this in a public area. However, if it was really Amy's doing, there must've been a reason behind it. Without another thought, he grabbed the flyer on the wall and marched his way towards the biology department.

The moment he reached her door, he did his signature three knock ritual. Upon hearing the familiar knock, Amy opened the door, expecting to see her friend.

"Hello, Sheldon. What brings you here?" Amy asked as she swung the door open. She opened her palms and urged him to come inside her laboratory.

Amy walked towards her working table where a freshly dissected brain is currently sitting. She put on a pair of latex gloves then grabbed her scalpel. "Would you mind if I continued working while you talk? I really need to finish dissecting this one right now."

"It's fine." Sheldon replied while he situated himself on the chair beside Amy's working table. "I'm sorry for the sudden intrusion. I just went here to clarify something."

"What is it?"

Sheldon quickly searched the flyer he placed on his pocket earlier. He spread the paper open, presenting its content to Amy.

"You've seen that, huh." Amy chuckled as she gazed upon the flyer.

"Mind explaining why you posted such a scandalous poster in a public area, little lady?" Sheldon pried with a hint of disappointment clearly visible in his tone.

Amy sighed out of defeat. Sheldon did not care about other people's personal affairs and yet, she knows that he had been keeping a close eye on her for the past few days. Due to his persistence, Amy knew that Sheldon would know what she was up to eventually. Even though they've built a friendly relationship with each other, Amy was aware that their friendship is only on an intellectual level. Sheldon would never listen to her personal dilemmas unless it's about work so she had to resolve things by herself.

"I think I have mentioned before that dating is my annual obligation to my mother. Two weeks ago, my mother messaged me, saying that she had already arranged a blind date for me this year. The past dates I had with the people my mom recommended didn't work well so this year, I challenged her to a wager." Amy looked at Sheldon, who was listening to her attentively. "I said that if I'll be able to send proof that I've dated someone before the day of my supposed date, she'll call off the agreement she had with the guy I was ought to date."

"But the flyer says that you're looking for a boyfriend, not a date. Why is that?"

Amy glared at the man beside her, uncertain of how to explain relationships to an emotionless person like Sheldon.

"Look, Sheldon, I've devoted the last 33 years of my life to the advancement of science. While everyone I know is already getting married and having kids, I was in the laboratory, trying to unravel the mysteries that this world has to offer. Don't get me wrong, I like my job. I just want to experience new things that even science can't offer me."

A wrinkle formed on Sheldon's forehead upon hearing her words. "But Amy, how can science be boring? Science is the center of everything, it explains the reason why everything exists and—"

"I'm talking about love, Sheldon." Amy let out a small smile. "I know this is a lot to take in but believe me, I know what I'm doing. And besides, the flyer helped me get in contact with some promising boyfriend candidates." she winked as she opened her drawer and revealed a small pile of papers.

"My 'flyer experiment' had proven itself to be a massive success. For the last four days, I have received 16 resumes from various people around the university. I was planning to keep the flyer on the announcement board for a week, but I was afraid that the HR might notice it if I placed it there for that long." Amy took the flyer from Sheldon, causing a surprised gasp from him. "Thankfully, you got rid of the evidence for me."

Sheldon reached for the pile of paper that Amy showed him to know the people who applied to be Amy's potential boyfriend. Amy was a noted scientist in her field, so it wasn't a surprise to Sheldon that a lot of people wants to take their shot with her. As he continues skimming through the papers, a familiar name caught his attention.

"Barry Kripke." he whispered with contempt, but Amy was able to hear him.

"Oh, you know him? He seemed nice when he personally handed me his resume. Don't tell anyone, but he was one of the few guys who passed my initial assessment."

Sheldon suddenly felt his blood boil. He could not believe that out of all the applicants, Amy is considering Barry Kripke, his mortal enemy, as a potential boyfriend.

"He's nowhere near nice, Amy! He's my research partner and believe me, he's not as good as you think." Sheldon exclaimed.

"Let me see it for myself, then. If I were to assess everyone based on their resumes alone, he'd be the best candidate."

"Have you been listening to everything I just said?" Sheldon angrily pulled Kripke's paper from the pile. "You have to dismiss his application."

Amy put down her scalpel and tried to get Kripke's resume from Sheldon. "My personal deadline for resumes is this afternoon. Unless someone better than him comes along, you have no choice but to accept the fact that I am considering Barry Kripke as a potential boyfriend."

Despite the adequate amount of oxygen in Amy's laboratory, Sheldon still felt like he was suffocating. He knew that he needed to get out of there before a panic attack befalls him.

"You know what, date whoever you want. I don't care." Sheldon gave Kripke's resume to Amy and walked away as if nothing happened.

Sheldon went back to his office, surprised to see that his mortal enemy was back.

"Hey, Cwooper! Didya get my mwessage?" he asked as he momentarily stopped writing equations on the whiteboard.

"Yes. Did you have lunch already?"

"Uh, nope."

"Good, grab some food first before we commence our work. It's not appropriate to work with an empty stomach, am I right?"

Kripke looked confused, but he eventually decided that Sheldon did have a good point. "Vewy well, I'll see you in thwirty minutes."

After successfully shoving Kripke out of his office, he praised himself for exhibiting a huge amount of self-control around Kripke after the situation in Amy's laboratory. He could have punched Kripke in the face upon laying his eyes on him, but he didn't. Unfortunately, despite of his façade earlier, he was nowhere near calm. He still had a job to accomplish, that is to make sure that Amy doesn't end up with his mortal enemy.

With a plan mapped in his mind, Sheldon turned on his laptop.

Sheldon stared at the blank document for a moment, dubious of what to do next.

_Amy is my friend. I'm doing this to save her from future pain. _

After making up his mind, he started filling the blank document.

**_Sheldon Lee Cooper, B.S., M.S., M.A., Ph.D., Sc.D._**

**_Theoretical Physicist_**

**_Caltech Institute of Technology_**

**_Pasadena, California, USA_**

* * *

Twenty-five minutes was all it took Sheldon to finish a 10-paged resume. Amy never mentioned what time her deadline was so he just simply assumed that she'd accept resumes before her shift was over. He hastily printed his resume, afraid to let Kripke see what he had been working on for the past twenty-five minutes. After printing his resume, he went to Amy's laboratory immediately. Once he was sure that no one was looking, he dropped the printed resume on her mailbox and ran as quickly as he could.

Sheldon had expected Kripke to come back from lunch break, that is why it shocked him to see that his office was still empty. Since Kripke wasn't there, he continued his work gleefully.

A few minutes after, a knock resonated within his office. "Ugh, what is it, Kripke?" he asked, irritated.

"It's Leonard." Sheldon stopped writing upon and turned to the bespectacled physicist after hearing his name. "Something happened in the cafeteria, I thought you'd want to witness it for yourself."

Sheldon let out a groan. "What could be more important than exploring string theory?"

"Just trust me."

Sheldon sighed and crossed his arms. "This better be good, Leonard. Or else, you'd be violating section 8, article 3 of the Roommate Agreement which states that we are not allowed to interrupt each other during work hours."

Leonard rolled his eyes as they continued walking towards the cafeteria. Sheldon immediately noticed a lot of people clumped around the door so they had to go through a lot of people before they were able to enter.

"What are you talking about? She's mine, dumbass!" a tall and tan-skinned man shouted as he swung his fists into the air. Sheldon wasn't able to see his face due to his constant movements but given his voice and physique, it was probably Raj.

"She's not yours!" Kripke exclaimed, trying to dodge Raj's fists.

"Hey, don't forget I'm also here!" another voice said, coming from a man with a beard. After looking closely, Sheldon recognized him as Bert from the geology department.

Much to everyone's amusement, they continued brawling like 10-year old kids. Punches were being thrown one after another, causing the crowd to scream in delight. Sheldon looked at Leonard who was currently taking a video of everything that is happening.

"I can already think of an appropriate title for this video_. 'Hopeless men with Ph.D. desperately fight for a woman's affection'_" Leonard giggled.

Just when Sheldon thought that their fight would never end, a woman in a black dress approached the three men.

"Dr. Koothrappali, Dr. Kripke, and Dr. Kibbler." she uttered, causing the three men to stop fighting. "Come to my office, NOW."

A thick air suddenly filled the entire cafeteria. When the woman started walking away, they decided to follow her.

"That's what you get for bending the university rules." Sheldon proclaimed.

"Says the guy who had been summoned by the HR department three times in a row for removing the suggestion boxes that President Siebert had placed around the university." Leonard said as he tugged Sheldon's shirt, signaling that it's time for them to get back to work.

"I did that so that President Siebert wouldn't have to receive bad reviews from other people."

"Yeah, right." Leonard rolled his eyes once again.

"On the bright side, Kripke is out and I can now resume my work in peace. I do hope he'll be suspended for a few months so that I wouldn't have to endure his annoying presence in my office." Sheldon said as he grasped the doorknob of his office.

Leonard wanted to say more but decided that it was better to keep his mouth shut. Sheldon wasted no time when he got back to his office. He grabbed the marker sitting on his desk commenced his date with the most interesting person in the world, _Mother Science._

* * *

Sheldon was clearly in the 'zone' that day. Thanks to Kripke's absence, he was able to accomplish a lot of things. He told Leonard that he wanted to go home earlier than usual today so they can stop by Stuart's coming book store to check for new releases. He was already packing his things when a knock disturbed him. He didn't answer the knock, hoping that Kripke would get the idea that he had already gone home. However, he heard the door creaking slowly as if someone was entering his office.

"Go away, Kripke!" he shouted. When he didn't hear a response, stopped fixing his bag to see who the intruder was. Much to his surprise, the intruder wasn't Kripke. It was Amy.

"O-Oh, forgive me. I didn't know it was you." Sheldon apologized.

"Sheldon." Amy stared at him intensely, making his skin crawl. _"I have read your resume."_

Sheldon suddenly felt beads of sweat forming on his forehead. He knew that she'd eventually ask about the resume, but he didn't expect the confrontation to be this soon. He still wasn't prepared to explain to her the reason for his actions.

"I was called by the HR department while I was skimming your resume. I didn't know why they asked me to come there at first, but after hearing what happened today, I think it is safe to assume that my experiment had its own weaknesses." she explained without a hint of emotion visible in her face. "15-year old Amy would've been happy to know that men are fighting over her affection. But 33-year old Amy? She'd be furious. _Really, really furious._"

Amy crossed his arms before she continued. "After seeing how they acted without thinking today, I can no longer push through with the experiment. However, since you decided to turn up your resume earlier, an idea struck my mind."

Sheldon gave her a confused look. "What do you mean?"

"Those three were the ones I was considering as a potential boyfriend. Now that they're on each other's throats because of me, I could not choose between them. Given that the deadline of my mother is rapidly approaching, I have a proposal to offer you. You can act as my fake boyfriend for the meantime to halt my supposed date."

"And how is this supposed to benefit me?"

Amy grinned mischievously. "You won't unless you want our social group to know that you sent me a resume for my boyfriend application experiment?" Amy winked, evidently blackmailing Sheldon.

Sheldon contemplated about her offer. If he looked at it in another perspective, Amy's proposed experiment would also benefit him because it will drive away the persistent Ramona Nowitzki.

"Counterproposal. I will agree acting as your fake boyfriend if you will drive everywhere without whining. In case I need your assistance, I want you to drop everything you're doing (unless they're of utmost importance) and immediately attend to my needs."

Amy let out a smile in response. She stretched out her arms and offered the lanky physicist her hand. "Seems like you've got yourself a deal."

Sheldon took Amy's petite hand and started shaking it. "Before this goes any further, I'd like you to personally ask me to be your fake boyfriend for formality."

"Do I have to? We already agreed to the terms."

"You know how much I need closure, Amy." he smirked. "Just say the word and I am all yours."

Amy shot him a look of disbelief. _The audacity of this man! _

Despite of irritation, she knew that she had no choice but to oblige him, or else, he'll continue to pester her. After taking a deep breath, she collected all the courage she could muster.

_"Sheldon Lee Cooper, can you be my fake boyfriend?" _


	7. The Dating Fabrication

_**A/N: Hello, everybody! I do hope that all of you are doing well as of the moment. I want to apologize because of my lack of updates. I've had intermittent internet connection for the past few months which made it difficult for me to publish and edit my works (all of my drafts are in my Google Drive account). Now that my internet connection is back, I'm very glad to see that people are still following/commenting on this story even though I've been inactive for almost 6 months. **__**As I've always said before, I intend to finish all my unfinished stories. It will take time but I promise that will give this story a proper ending. **_

_**Thank you for continuously supporting this story! Please enjoy this chapter. **_

* * *

**_CHAPTER SEVEN: THE DATING FABRICATION_**

* * *

Sheldon and Amy's plan immediately took action after they signed the "Fake Relationship Contract" that Sheldon wrote on the spot. After knowing that Leonard won't be home because he'll be staying over at Penny's apartment, Sheldon told Amy that they should go to Los Robles to continue their discussion. There, they spent the entire night exchanging ideas to make their facade believable to everyone.

Amy sat down beside Sheldon, who was sitting in his usual spot. Aware that Leonard was more experienced when it comes to relationships, Sheldon tried to rummage through his belongings, hoping to find something useful for their current situation. Lucky for him, he found a stack of women's magazines under his bed and some relationship advice books that he probably brought when he and Penny broke up.

The duo skimmed through the pages of all the things that Sheldon borrowed from Leonard. Frustrated with the uselessness of his roommate's belongings, Sheldon decided to make a chamomile tea to calm his nerves.

"It's been hours and we're not making any progress. I may excel at many things, but goodness, relationships are certainly not my area of expertise." Sheldon grunted as he grabbed two teabags from his stash. He placed those on separate mugs before cautiously pouring hot water on it.

"You know, we can ask Leonard and Penny for help." Amy said before walking towards the kitchen counter where her tea was situated. "I'm very sure they'll listen after hearing the predicament that we're in."

Sheldon rolled his eyes after hearing Amy's suggestion. _Did Amy really think that he hadn't thought about that option earlier?_ Of course, seeking help from their circle of friends would be the most ideal thing to do right now. However, Sheldon didn't bring that option up to Amy since he wanted this entire relationship thing to be his and Amy's secret alone.

"Telling other people our current situation might jeopardize our farce, Amy. Besides, we can gauge the effectiveness of our plan if we'll keep this a secret from our friends. If they buy our fake relationship, it means that we're doing a great job in pretending to be each other's lovers." Sheldon's enormous hands enveloped the mug's warmth, sending faint tingles to his body. "To make this a success, we have to work hard in fooling them."

The bespectacled brunette sighed loudly, accepting defeat against Sheldon. "Hmm, what would be the best action to take if we want people to recognize our relationship without blatantly announcing it?"

Unbeknownst to Amy, her question seemed to hit the right buttons on Sheldon's mind. In order to convince other people, they should start working on the things that they want others to see. If they want to be recognized as an actual couple, they have to act like one.

"That's it. That's it, Amy! Manipulating others' conception of us would be easier if we start doing calculated actions that are visible to them, such as minimal public display of affection or lunch dates. If they see us together almost all the time, they'd grow suspicious, enabling the rapid spread of rumors regarding our true relationship status." Sheldon declared.

Amy nodded in agreement. "Sheldon, you hate those hippy, dippy, and lovey things. Aren't you bothered by me infiltrating your personal space?"

"I am. But I have to endure it, it is the only way we could make this work."

"Very well. I expect you to join me for lunch tomorrow at the cafeteria. Can I hang at your office if I have spare time?"

"Of course." Sheldon gave her a small smile.

Amy glanced at her watch, shocked that it was already 11 in the evening. "I lost track of time! Sorry Sheldon, I have to go home now. We can continue talking tomorrow during the lunch break." she hopped off the chair and grabbed her sling bag. "Thank you for tonight, Sheldon. See you tomorrow!"

Just like that, Amy was gone like the wind. After removing the teabags, Sheldon placed their used mugs on the sink. He went to his working table and opened a blank document on his laptop. He stared at it for a bit, unsure of what to write. Sheldon took a deep breath before changing the file name of the document.

_Sheldon Lee Cooper and Amy Farrah Fowler's Fake Dating Agreement - Draft_

* * *

Sheldon and Amy met at the cafeteria just like they planned. They spent their lunch talking about each other's work, Sheldon complaining about his joint research with Kripke and Amy blaming the university for not getting good-quality brains for the Neuroscience department.

They only stopped talking when they noticed their other workmates whispering around them. Sheldon grinned to himself, it seemed like their plan was going smoothly as expected.

"It's nice being the talk of the town, eh?" Sheldon smiled as he took a spoonful of his jello.

"Yeah." Amy replied, twirling her hair using his fingers. "Before I forget, this morning when I was heading to your office, I saw Kripke vandalizing Raj and Bert's office doors. Look, I was even able to take a picture of him." Amy passed onto Sheldon her phone. Sheldon, seemingly pleased to see evidence of his mortal enemy's wrongdoing, grabbed his phone to take a picture of Kripke's image.

The brunette looked down on the spaghetti that she has been twirling for the last 3 minutes. "It's all so difficult to see that they are still on each other's throats because of me…" Amy said with a hint of guilt in her voice. She can't help but blame herself for everything that happened. Her desperateness to have a boyfriend ruined Raj, Kripke, and Bert's harmonious work-relationship.

"You are clearly right about that. If it wasn't for you, all of this trouble would never happen in the first place." Sheldon replied as he gave Amy her cellphone back. "However, I cannot put all the blame on you because based on what you told me before, you're only doing this to please your mother. I get that you just want to make your mother happy. I also get forced to do things I don't like for the sake of my mother. Take Sunday church for example. i hated church and everything associated with it. Despite all my efforts to convince my mother that believing in a supreme being is just a huge waste of time, she still forced me to go to church with them every week. Ugh, the face of our pastor is still stuck in my head like a bubble gum stuck on the chair of a bus."

Amy giggled as Sheldon narrated his experiences as a child. The brunette felt glad that someone understands the difficulty of pleasing one's mother. Sheldon spent 10 whole minutes whining about church services, prayer groups, and Sunday school but was interrupted when a lanky blonde carrying a thick bundle of paper gradually approached their table. Amy looked at Sheldon, her eyes asking who the hell is the woman standing before them. Before Sheldon could even explain, the blonde girl placed her papers on their table and started twirling her hair.

"Hello, Dr. Cooper" Ramona said in the sweetest, most seductive voice she could muster. The mere sound of her voice made Amy's stomach churn. Judging Sheldon's annoyed face, it seemed like he wasn't pleased to see this woman either.

"Dr. Nowitzki" Sheldon replied dryly. "What brings you here?"

"I was wondering if you're free tonight. We have so much to talk about your recent paper on particle filtering." Ramona grinned carefully caressing the papers with her fingers. "I have a lot of comments and questions regarding your research."

The look of pure anguish on Sheldon's face was new to Amy. She was used to always seeing him in his usual self: confident, arrogant, and infuriatingly annoying. As she was carefully examining his reactions, the physicist eventually sensed that his companion was silently watching (or judging) him. Then, his distressed face returned to normality. He smiled at Ramona and looked her in the eye.

"I'm sorry but unfortunately, I'm not free tonight."

Ramona's face turned pale, as if the idea of Sheldon rejecting her hasn't crossed her mind. "I can assure you that talking about physics all night would be better than whatever engagement you initially had." Amy almost spat the water she was drinking. _All night? What does she mean by that? Was she actually planning on whisking Sheldon away the entire night? _

Sheldon gazed at Amy, who was staring at the blonde girl before them. Although Ramona can offer him free food and endless hours of physics conversation, he didn't want her to get the false impression that he enjoys being in her presence. Sheldon is not dumb, he knows that Ramona is only doing this because she wants to pursue a romantic relationship with him. It's not that Ramona was unappealing, it's just that relationships are generally messy and Sheldon, as a self-proclaimed introvert, doesn't want to associate himself with of love, pain, and commitment. He's fine living on his own, mingling with his small group of friends and casually keeping in touch with his family. Sheldon's contentment on solitary living was the reason why he could never understand Amy's earlier reasoning regarding her eagerness in finding a suitable mate.

As he popped himself out of his brief trance, a bright idea suddenly hit Sheldon. Yes, this encounter with Ramona could be a perfect timing for them to introduce their facade to the entire campus. With a plan in mind, Sheldon looked back at the expectant blonde standing in front of their table. "That sounds promising. However, I have a more important engagement." The physicist winked at Amy, who was anxiously watching their entire conversation.

_Good. Keep your eyes on me. _He thought to himself.

"I have a date later, Dr. Nowitzki."

Both Amy and Ramona's eyes bulged at Sheldon's sudden declaration. Sheldon could hear Amy mouthing the words "What the hell?" repeatedly. He just shrugged, showing both ladies that he meant every word he said.

"W-what? A date? With who?" Ramona asked, trying her hardest to contain her anger and confusion. Even though Sheldon has been continuously declining her offers, the blonde has always found solace on the fact that there's a very slim chance that Sheldon might actually be in a relationship with someone else. _If I can't have him then no one else can,_ she muttered each time he sees Sheldon around the campus.

Hearing from Sheldon himself that he's going out on a date with someone hit Ramona like a thousand bricks. The thought that Sheldon was romantically inclined with someone, someone other than her, was already enough to fuel her anger.

Sheldon, looking calm as ever, suddenly grasped Amy's hand. "Dr. Nowitzki, I'd like you to meet Dr. Amy Farrah Fowler, the head of the Neurobiology research team. Amy, this is Ramona Nowitski, a colleague of mine who has strong inclinations towards my work."

Amy initially shot him an angry glare but when Ramona started shifting her eyes towards her, she turned it into a loving stare. Despite wanting to be pissed at Sheldon right now, she knew that deceiving Ramona should be their top priority as of the moment.

The blonde looked at her with contempt, silently seizing her by her looks. _My god, this girl looks like she's going on a winter trip or something, _Ramona thought as she continuously observed Amy. Amy was average-looking, alright. She wasn't as pretty and as shapely as Penny and Bernadette but she has her own unique features that she can definitely be proud of. She had a very prominent nose, beautiful deep green eyes, plump lips, and rosy red cheeks. She's pretty much okay in the looks department but her wardrobe..well, it could use some improvements. Her friends always tell her to "wear something other than her usual grandma clothes" because they said that those garments made Amy seem older than she actually is. Amy didn't argue because deep down, she knew that they were right. Oftentimes, Amy ponders about dumping all of her clothes in the ocean or burning them down in a forest. Much to her dismay, she didn't have the guts to do those things. Being in an unknown territory, she had constantly been bugged with confusion, doubt, and uncertainty. One thing she didn't want to lose in Pasadena was her identity, which also encompasses her peculiar sense of fashion. .

"Well hello there, it's nice to meet you." Ramona said, extending her hand towards Amy's other free hand. The brunette shook her hand in return.

"W-When did you start going out?"

"Actually, tonight is our first date. Sheldon and I met months ago when I started working here. He kept bugging me in my lab, so I finally gave in when he finally asked me out." Amy declared nonchalantly, looking at Sheldon to see his expression. _If we're going to keep lying, might as well make the most of it. _

Sheldon had an annoyed look on his face. However, he brushed it off and started giving Amy a small smile.

Ramona saw how they looked at each other. Filled with anger and shame, she wanted to see herself out as quickly as possible. "O-Oh, I see. Have fun, the two of you. I'll just talk to you some other time." The blonde gave the duo a fake smile as she gathered her papers and walked away from their table.

Amy hastily removed Sheldon's hand on hers, removing any trace of the fake act that they performed in front of Ramona earlier. "That didn't end up so well." Amy declared before gulping the glass of orange juice that she neglected because of the whole Ramona fiasco. Sheldon, on the other hand, started poking his remaining jello. "Could've been worse. At least now she knows that the two of us are romantically inclined."

Amy finished the entire glass in one go. She grabbed a paper napkin and pressed it against her damp lips. "Yeah, right. Now all we have to do is wait for the news to spread like wildfire."

"That won't do. We need to have that date tonight."

Once again. Amy's eyes widened. "Why bother? We could just pretend that we went on a date even though we didn't. I'm pretty sure they won't even know the truth."

"I know Ramona, she'll be following us tonight. It's better to take precautionary measures than deal with the fallout."

Amy sighed. He was right, they can't be complacent that Ramona would immediately buy their story. If they wanted the entire campus to believe that they're a couple, fooling Ramona might be a good start. The brunette nodded and crossed her arms. "Very well then, I guess we don't have a choice."

Sheldon took in the last piece of jello directly into his mouth then gave out a sly grin. "You. Me. 8:00 pm. Put on your best dress, our first date will be at the Cheesecake Factory."


	8. The Iced Tea Deception

_**A/N: Hello, thank you very much for your warm comments on my last chapter! This one is the longest chapter I've ever written for The Pacemaker Incompetency so I'm excited to share this to all of you. I know things are difficult right now but I'm hoping that this can somehow make you guys smile. **_

_**Once again, thank you for your overwhelming support! Take care always and have a nice day (or night) ahead. :) **_

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_**CHAPTER EIGHT: THE ICED TEA DECEPTION**_

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The word about Sheldon and Amy's encounter with Ramona spread like wildfire to the entire campus. Given that the duo agreed not to share their relationship status to anyone prior to the arrival of Ramona, Sheldon was confident that the news only came from two sources, from the people inside the cafeteria who might've overheard their conversation and from Ramona herself (Sheldon doubts she would tell anyone about what happened but still, he wanted to be open to that possibility). Each time Sheldon leaves his office, he passes by several flocks of people whispering loudly about what Amy called their "lunch break disaster". He couldn't blame them though, it's not often that people in Caltech date each other publicly. They say it's bad luck to date someone at work. Sheldon didn't believe that kind of hokum but based on his friends' experiences, relationships involving a girl from work always ended up badly.

Despite that relationship superstition, Sheldon remained unfazed. He knew for a fact that he had nothing to be afraid of because his relationship with Amy is fake. Sheldon glared at everyone, silently telling them that he was well aware that they're talking about him and Amy. He tried his hardest to play the part of an annoyed boyfriend who didn't want anyone snooping around his relationship with his partner. People trembled in fear upon seeing how pissed the lanky physicist was. When the hallway was already deserted, he grins, internally praising himself for a job well done.

The following hours flew incredibly slow especially for Amy, who had been bombarded with questions by her workmates about her relationship with Caltech's resident robot.

"So, how is it to be Cooper's love interest?"

_Ugh, this again._ Amy let out a deep sigh after hearing her workmate's question.

"Fine, fine. Not bad as I expected." Amy snorted as she continued slicing the brain in front of her. She absolutely hated it when people tried to distract her while she's in the middle of work. For goodness' sake, they were being paid to perform experiments on the human brain, not to talk about their personal relationships!

Even without looking, Amy felt her workmate smile upon hearing her answer. "Even though he kinda looked appealing, I was one of those people who believed that Cooper is going to live miserably alone." When her workmate started laughing, Amy gave her a serious glare. "Just kidding! Anyway, I just can't believe that I'd see the day that Cooper would be in a relationship with someone. I've seen a lot of women seduce him before but it didn't work. If your presence changed his vision of love, then you must be special to him, Amy."

Amy wanted to laugh. _If only this person knew the truth..._

In the end, Amy decided not to talk any further. She spent the remainder of her afternoon running different tests to different specimens. Sheldon had already warned her about all of the attention and the annoying questions that would come along with their fake relationship. She didn't mind doing the talking, she just didn't want her personal life to take over her professional life too.

The brunette squinted her tired eyes, trying to press the button of her watch with her gloved hand. 4 pm, only one hour before her shift ends and four hours before her supposed date with Sheldon. She sighed, picking up the scalpel she placed beside the brain. Amy tried to divert her attention back to the brain but all she could think about was a ton of questions regarding the date:

_What should I wear? _

_What time should I leave my apartment?_

_What should I do in case Sheldon doesn't arrive? _

_What should I do if he initiates physical contact? _

_What should we talk about? _

_Why am I feeling so hecking nervous? _

Amy's hand started shaking uncontrollably. She wanted to continue slicing the brain but was too afraid that she might ruin it. Instead, she placed the scalpel back to the tray and transferred the brain into the freezer. Amy looked around her laboratory, praying that her own brain would stop bombarding her with unanswered inquiries. All of her workmates went home early, leaving her alone in the large room. The chilly temperature inside didn't help calm Amy either. Sighing, she took off her personal protective equipment and decided to call it a day. Before she could leave the room, her phone suddenly rang.

_It was Sheldon. _

Amy pressed the green icon lightly. "Hey, what's up?"

"Amy Farrah Fowler," Sheldon replied in a soft voice. "Everyone's talking about the stunt we pulled earlier."

The bespectacled woman smiled faintly. A rush of pride and excitement rushing through her veins. "Oh yeah, what did they say?"

She heard Sheldon let out a heavy breath. _Oh my god, is it bad? Did they not believe us?_ Sheldon's delayed response somehow made her feel nervous.

On the other line, Sheldon grasped a folder with an inch thick stack of papers inside. He was still in his office, alone, mainly because of the punching spree that cost his research partner two weeks of suspension. Sheldon's lean fingers flipped the folder, revealing its cover page.

Sheldon Lee Cooper and Amy Farrah Fowler's Fake Dating Agreement

There were two lines on the bottom, just above their names. It's where they should affix their signatures after reading the entire document.

"It went well. People are saying that we did look good together." Sheldon replied, making Amy sigh in relief.

"The date is in three hours and twenty-six minutes. I suggest you leave Caltech now to prepare for later."

"I was about to head home when you called."

Sheldon nodded to himself. "Good. I'm looking forward to seeing you later, Dr. Fowler."

Amy swore there was something different with the way Sheldon addressed her. He was inviting, as if he was genuinely anticipating their date. _Don't be stupid, Amy. You know he's just pretending to take an interest in you because of the agreement. _She recomposed herself before replying to the physicist. "So am I, Dr. Cooper." She said calmly before she ended the call.

She grabbed her sling bag and headed for the door. The brunette could easily hear talking and laughing noises from people walking in the hallway. Even though it's loud outside, all she can hear is her jagged breaths and the rapid thumping of her heart. Amy held onto the doorknob for support and glanced at her vibrating watch.

"130 beats per minute." Amy whispered to herself after seeing the reading on her watch. _Oh no, this is bad._

* * *

Amy was used to having expensive dates. She's familiar with numerous restaurants around Glendale: Central Grille, Gauchos Village, Acapulco, Parkway Grill, Atrium, you name it, she's been there. The only reason she was able to spend an entire night in those expensive restaurants is because her mother has been funding her dates. She always insists that dates in these restaurants would increase Amy's chances of finding a fine and wealthy young man. Amy didn't even try to argue. Besides, she enjoys the privilege of eating delicious and luxurious food for free.

The brunette slid into her navy blue dress was adorned with pearls and little embroidered flowers on the collar and on the sleeves, making Amy look like her youthful self.

It isn't that much, but Amy thought that it's the most decent one next to her graduation dress. Also, she didn't want to dress too formally, given that their first date would be at the Cheesecake Factory.

It made her wonder, _why on earth would Sheldon pick the Cheesecake Factory as the site of their first date? _Not that she's complaining, she's just genuinely curious.

Regardless of Sheldon's horrible taste in dating venues, Amy still tried her best to make herself presentable. She opened her bedside table and pulled out a flat, rectangular jewelry box. Amy pulled out a pearl necklace and a pair of pearl earrings from the box to complete her get-up.

"Not bad, huh." she said, looking at her own reflection. Penny and Bernadette were right, with a change in her clothing, she definitely looked younger than her actual age. She glanced at the mirror one last time before she decided to leave her apartment.

The traffic wasn't as terrible as she expected, considering that 7:30 was considered as a rush hour. She reached the Cheesecake Factory 10 minutes before their agreed meeting time so she went to the restroom to try and freshen herself a little bit.

From what she learned from her blonde best friends, too much make-up is the worst mistake that anyone can commit when meeting a guy for the first time. Penny would tell her that men often get intimidated with women whose faces resemble escaped clowns from a caravan. Amy kept that in mind as she prepared for tonight. Her face totally looked the same, except her eyes stood out more and her pink lips were now painted with dark maroon (don't judge her preference, that lipstick belonged to Bernadette).

Amy looked simple, pretty, and elegant. She's a hundred percent sure that Penny and Bernadette would've liked the way she looked right now.

She left the door, confident as ever to meet her date. The thought of Sheldon ditching her again never escaped her mind, but she hoped that all her fears won't come into life.

_Well, thank god it didn't. _

Amy's eyes found a lanky man wearing a tuxedo. If she was to be asked, the man seemed like he didn't belong in this loud and busy restaurant. The man was looking outside the window, his elbows touching the table as his slender fingers tapped his left cheek. By the looks of it, he's waiting for someone to join him for dinner.

_He was waiting. Waiting for his date. _

The brunette clutched her purse and gradually approached Sheldon. _This should be easy, _Amy whispered to herself. However, her earlier confidence was easily washed away when she felt her heart thumping harder than ever. She's been to many dates before, but she's never been this nervous. Amy exhaled, trying to calm her nerves. She suddenly thought that maybe there's a reason why her mother wants her to date total strangers than people she personally knows.

"Hello, Sheldon." Amy greeted, making the physicist look her way.

He immediately stood up and pulled the chair before him, signaling her to sit. After making sure that Amy was comfortable, he went back to his seat. "So, how was your drive here?"

"It's fine. Thank goodness the traffic wasn't that bad."

A black-haired waitress who was as tall as Bernadette approached their table and asked for their orders.

"Barbeque bacon cheeseburger, please. Make sure that the bacon and cheese are on the side." Sheldon said, not even looking at the menu that the waitress had given them. Amy has been to the Cheesecake Factory a couple of times, especially when the gang gathers there for dinner. She wanted to pick her usual order, Caesar salad and Shepherd's pie, but decided that she wanted to try something new for a change.

"I'll just take what he's getting." she replied. The waitress nodded and wrote their orders on the small notepad that she's holding. "Can I interest the two of you for a pitcher of Long Island Iced Tea? The guy over there said that since it's his birthday, he'll be treating all the customers with our new beverage." The waitress' fingers pointed to a muscular guy who is currently chomping his triple cheeseburger. Beside him are several empty pitchers of what Amy believes is the Long Island Iced Tea that their waitress was talking about.

Amy shrugged. "If it's free then I don't see any harm in ordering that."

The waitress smiled then took off to give their orders to the kitchen staff. Looking more relaxed now, Amy tried to initiate a conversation between them. "The restaurant's pretty packed tonight, huh?"

"Yes. Actually, I've expected more customers, given that it's a Saturday night."

The brunette took the glass of water beside her and drank it, leaving it half full. "I hope you don't mind me asking, why did you choose this as our dating place?" She asked as her fingers enveloped the dampness emitted by the cold water inside her glass.

"No particular reason. It's just the first restaurant that came into my mind." Sheldon tapped the table softly, making it seem like he's playing an invisible piano. "Besides, I'm not a fan of trying out new places. I feel more comfortable in a place where I am really familiar with."

Amy smiled at his response. "Same goes for me. I absolutely hate it whenever my mom shoves me into different restaurants to date different men every single year. Although I have to admit that it feels nice getting free food at luxurious restaurants."

Sheldon, as a curious scientist, couldn't help but pry into Amy's past dates. She talked about it briefly during their first dinner together but he believed that Amy skipped some interesting details. Good for him, the bespectacled woman didn't seem to mind telling stories about her past dates.

"My weird obligation to my mother started when I was 20 years old. I'm already 33, so all in all, my mother made me date 13 guys. I think I've told you about the Chemistry professor I went out with when you didn't show up in that coffee shop." Sheldon's face crumpled as he remembered that day. Amy saw through his expression and did her best to assure him that she's already forgiven him for that.

"As I was saying, he's a dog-centric jerk but to be honest, he's one of the most decent guys I've been with. My 6th date, whose name was Andy, was a rich doctor who toured me around his family's hospital after our lunch date. It wasn't bad at first, but when we entered the morgue, he cut up the heart of a female cadaver and gave it to me as a token of appreciation for our successful date. I politely declined and told him I'm going to go to the restroom to freshen up. The moment I stepped out of the morgue, I ran as fast as I could and left the hospital without looking back."

The pair spent a few moments laughing at Amy's story. Their orders were taking too long so Amy decided to go on and tell Sheldon another one.

"For my 10th date, my mother paired me with the son of her best friend. He was nice and handsome, alright. From what I've heard, he was working as a geneticist in Princeton and flew all the way to Glendale just to meet me. Pretty nice, right?" Amy briefly halted her story telling session and took a large gulp of water from her glass. Sheldon looked at her expectantly, excited to hear the remainder of her story. "We spent almost 5 hours talking about lots of things during our lunch together. Like my mom said, he was also engrossed in his work so much that he barely had time to date other women. After our lunch, we stayed at their house for the meantime and watched National Geographic. I was already willing to give this guy a chance but then, he handed me an envelope containing the result of the DNA combination test that he ran. Turns out, my mom gave him some of my hair samples upon his request and ran the test without my knowledge. He told me that based on the results he got, we're so compatible that we can have an amazing and intelligent offspring. Of course, I looked at him in disbelief. It was just our first date and he's already talking about having babies! I told him that my head is hurting and asked him to drive me home. When my mom asked me how our date went, I just simply shook my head. Ever since that moment, I've always locked my door at night, afraid that my mom might pluck another strand of my hair again."

Sheldon snorted, trying to suppress his laughter. "Go on, laugh all you want." Amy said, crossing her arms. The waitress was already beside them, holding a huge circular tray filled with their orders. She carefully placed the plates before them then placed the pitcher of iced tea in between them. Amy thanks the waitress and she immediately flees.

They ate in silence for the past few minutes, savoring the taste of the cheeseburger gradually. Amy glanced at her surroundings as she devoured her dinner. The crowd is still thick, but not as cramped as it was when she and Sheldon first arrived. The people around them were wearing casual clothes, whereas, they looked like they escaped prom or a wedding ceremony. Amy didn't mind the casual stares the customers were throwing them. In fact, it made her feel somewhat happy that people actually took the time to look at them.

When she's already finished eating, she poured the two empty glasses with Long Island Iced Tea they got for free from the birthday guy. Given that it's free, she took a small sip first to make sure that it's safe to drink. After observing that it tastes like regular iced tea, she decided to take long sips to quench her thirst.

"You should try it, it tastes good!" Amy offered the glass to Sheldon who just finished his cheeseburger. The physicist grabbed the glass and drank the iced tea. He liked it so much that he immediately sought for a refill.

"Sheldon, who's Ramona?" the brunette asked. They haven't had time to discuss her earlier because they went back to work after lunch. Amy wanted to ask him when he called her but thought that it's better if they talk about her personally.

Sheldon sighed. Amy sensed that this might be a touchy subject so she gave him an easy way out of this topic. "You don't have to answer, really."

"No, I think I should tell you about her." The physicist dropped his glass and turned to meet Amy's green eyes. "I met her three years ago. She just finished graduate school back then. She was brilliant so I offered her to be my apprentice, to help me with the things that I was currently working on. Ramona proved herself to be of good use, actually. However, I noticed a sudden shift in her actions after three months of working with me. She would accompany me everywhere I go and would refuse to see people other than me. There was even one point when she told my friends that I'm busy even though I wasn't just to shove them away. After Leonard talked some sense into me, I dismissed her and told her that I no longer need her services. Since then, she would bug me by talking about my papers or offering me lunch or dinner."

Sheldon refilled his glass for the third time. He raised his hand, asking the waitress to bring them another pitcher because theirs was already empty. The waitress just shook her head and gave them a cold, iced tea-filled pitcher.

By the time he reached his fifth glass, everything was swirling around Sheldon. He slapped his face softly, trying to regain his sanity. His vision became clear for a brief moment but then, the weight of his head became so heavy that he decided to rest his head on the table.

"Sheldon, are you alright?" Amy jumped out of her chair and went to the other side of the table to check on her date. He just nodded in response to her question. "Sheldon, what's happening?" She asked him, shaking his shoulders in the process.

The waitress who served them earlier came back to see what's going on in their table. Upon seeing that Sheldon almost blacked out, she gasped and said sorry to Amy. "I'm sorry miss, I forgot to tell you that this iced tea had 15% alcohol."

_Holy crap, Sheldon got drunk from the iced tea!_

Amy wanted to scold the waitress but thought that she didn't want to embarrass her in front of numerous customers. She just asked for their bill and paid her so that the both of them can already go home.

The walk to Amy's car was difficult. Sheldon, who was clearly not in control of his mental faculties, started swaying left and right whenever Amy let him stand on his own. Annoyed, Amy took his left arm and wrapped it around hers so that Sheldon won't end up hitting his face on the floor.

If their walk to the car was already chaotic, their climb to 4A was even worse. At some point, Amy wanted to just drag Sheldon like a sack of rice. Amy cursed loudly each floor but no one seemed to hear her (or they were just ignoring her). Once they reached the door to Sheldon's apartment, she let him lie on the floor while she searched for the key in the breast pocket of his tuxedo. It didn't take her long to open the door. As the door of 4A swung open, Amy grabbed both of Sheldon's hands and dragged him to his bedroom.

It was the first time she's ever been in his bedroom, let alone in a man's bedroom. She scanned the room for anything weird and suspicious but she didn't find anything that fits those descriptions. Like an average male nerd, his room was filled with numerous posters, physics books, comics, and action figures. There was an air purifier on the table next to his drawers which made the room smell like talcum powder. Amy tried to take note of everything because she was sure that this would be the last time she'd ever set foot in Sheldon's room.

Amy placed the unconscious body of Sheldon in the middle of his bed. She let his feet dangle so that she can remove his black leather shoes. After doing so, she tucked him under his white blanket then sat down on the edge of his bed. Sheldon looked peaceful and happy in his sleep, as if he wasn't intoxicated. She grinned, feeling proud about her work.

Amy was about to leave but then, Sheldon's right hand grabbed her arm before she could even walk away. She stared at him, confused. "Do you need anything else?" She asked as she felt Sheldon's grip tighten.

Sheldon grunted, eyes still shut. "Sorry for ruining our date."

The brunette smiled and touched Sheldon's hand. It's not everyday you hear Sheldon Cooper apologize about something. "It's fine, I didn't know about the iced tea either. The waitress only told me that it contained alcohol when she saw you blacked out."

He slowly opened his eyes, squinting several times to make sure that his vision isn't blurry. He looked at Amy, whose arm is still gripped by him. His bedside lamplight made Amy's pearls glow like stars in a cloudless night. There was no trace of annoyance or disappointment in her face. In fact, she was smiling at him, anticipating his next move. Without any thought, he pulled her closer until she was sitting once again on the edge of his bed. Amy was shocked by his sudden gesture but she did not resist.

Amy was waiting for some kind of explanation for his actions. Instead, all she got was a question.

"_Stay the night?" _


	9. The Late Night Entanglement

_**Hi! I appreciate all your comments on my last update. As promised, here's the next chapter of Sheldon and Amy's story.**_

_**Thank you for reading! I hope you'll enjoy this one.**_

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**_CHAPTER NINE: THE LATE NIGHT ENTANGLEMENT_**

* * *

Amy's mouth was frozen, so was her body. She looked at Sheldon's sea blue eyes, hoping that he would shout "Bazinga" like he always does when he makes a joke. She waited but nothing else came from his lips. Amy sighed. That silence could only mean one thing. _Sheldon's serious about asking her to stay the night. _

Amy noticed that beads of sweat were already forming on Sheldon's forehead. Not only that, his breathing also became ragged, as if he's struggling to get air. She wanted to go home and talk about her disastrous date with Penny and Bernadette on the phone but there's no way she'd let her intoxicated friend spend the night alone. Who knows what Sheldon would do by the time she leaves his apartment.

The brunette had made up her mind. She let out a soft smile. "Yeah, sure."

Sheldon slowly let go of Amy's arm and plopped onto the bed, with his forearm touching his head. He's still sweating badly so Amy took it upon herself to take care of Sheldon for the rest of the night. She went to his kitchen and searched his cupboards for hangover medicine. Thankfully, Leonard kept some for himself. Amy grabbed a bottle of water and a small basin then walked back to Sheldon, who looked like he's gonna puke any moment now. She made the lanky physicist sit briefly so that she could make him take the hangover medicine. When his intensive sweating stopped, Amy sat down on the bed again.

"Hey, I'll be sleeping on the sofa. Just call me if you need anything, okay?"

The physicist shook his head. Amy thought that he didn't understand what she was trying to say. "I said, I'll be on the sofa. Call me if you need any help."

Sheldon opened his eyes and shook his head once again. "No, stay here."

"I don't want to sleep on the floor." Amy replied promptly.

"You don't have to. You can sleep beside me."

Amy's face immediately turned beet red. Although the dimness of the room slightly masked the redness of her cheeks, Amy was definitely sure that Sheldon would still see her given how close she was sitting on the lampshade. Sleeping in his apartment was bearable. But sleeping on the same bed with him? That's preposterous. She wanted to run and never look back just like she did during her date with the doctor but for some reason, she can't move right now. All she can feel is the loud thumping of her heart, accompanied by the merciless vibrations of her watch. Sheldon was still watching her intently, the gaze of his blue eyes slowly piercing her heart. They can't stay like this. Not when her life is on the line.

Amy darted her eyes from Sheldon and clutched her watch tightly. "I'll just take the sofa."

The physicist let out a defeated sigh. "Alright. But I'll bring my sleeping bag to the living room. I'll be sleeping on the floor." Without another word, he stood up and walked towards the closet where he's keeping the sleeping bag. After that, Sheldon grabbed two big pillows from his bed. After noticing that Amy was looking at him, he scoffed. "What are you waiting for? Close the lamplight and let's sleep."

The way Sheldon said the last sentence made Amy look down in embarrassment. Despite being flustered, Amy abided his command and pulled the white blanket for herself. Amy was relieved when Sheldon only opened two switches, one on the hallway and another one on the kitchen. At least he wouldn't have to see a red-cheeked Amy Farrah Fowler sleeping in his living room.

A loud 'thump' echoed inside the apartment as Sheldon dropped the sleeping bag. He pushed the center table towards Leonard's working area and opened the bag. Unlike other sleeping bags that Amy had seen, this one seemed perfectly tailored for Sheldon's height. It was made with a soft cushion enclosed with a thick leather covering. It had a small hoodie and a long, black zipper on the side. Amy was sure that Sheldon wouldn't have any problem fitting himself inside the bag.

Amy approached the sofa and sat on it, surprised by its softness. Sheldon threw her a pillow which she caught just before it hit her face. The physicist was still standing, as if he was looking for something on his desk. Once he was done, Amy saw that he was carrying back a pen and a blue folder. He extended his arm and gave her the pen and the folder.

"This is the dating agreement. It is a 34-page document that solidifies the roles and responsibilities of Sheldon Lee Cooper, also known as the fake boyfriend, and Amy Farrah Fowler, also known as the fake girlfriend." Sheldon said sternly. Amy accepted it and tried to look at its contents. It consisted of six sections: 1) Roles and Responsibilities of the Fake Couple, 2) Repercussions for Disobedience, 3) Dates and Recreational Activities, 4) Booboos and Ouchies, 5) Physical Contact and Terms of Endearments, 6) Validity of the Fake Relationship. Not only that, there are also several sub-sections under each section. The brunette squinted her eyes in disbelief. There was no way she's gonna read through all of this tonight.

"This is insane, Sheldon." she muttered, still scanning the pages of the document.

"I beg to differ, my mother had me tested." Sheldon smiled triumphantly. "If you have no further objections regarding this document, please affix your signature beside mine."

Amy looked at him, annoyed. "Let me remind you that you're not the only one who drank that forsaken iced tea, Dr. Cooper. I'll read this tomorrow, once I have flushed all the alcohol out of my system."

As always, Amy had a fair point. "Very well, I'll just place it on the center table so that you won't forget about it." Sheldon grabbed the pen and the folder from Amy's petite hands and placed it on the table. After that, he positioned himself in his sleeping bag. Amy put the pillow on the armrest near Sheldon's spot and pulled the blanket on top of her chest. From above, she could hear the zipping sound from the sleeping bag, indicating that Sheldon had already tucked himself. Relieved, she closed her eyes and tried to drift away.

Given her semi-intoxicated state, Amy expected herself to sleep in no time. Unfortunately, all she did for the past 30 minutes was toss and turn in the cramped sofa. Her body was already giving up but her mind is still awake and running. Her thoughts were mainly composed of some images from their date. The well-dressed man sitting in the restaurant, the cheeseburger, the silly stories of her past dates, the damn iced tea, their disastrous trip to 4A, and most especially, the scene where a drunk Sheldon asked her to stay the night. Heat rapidly made its way to Amy's cheeks once again. She knew that Sheldon said everything he said tonight because he's drunk, but Amy still wonders if any of those words came from normal Sheldon.

The brunette shook her head intensely. _No, of course Sheldon wouldn't let me stay if he wasn't drunk. Besides, he's doing the best he can to make our facade believable. None of this is real, it's all just a show. _

There's no use in thinking about any of that right now. Amy thought that sleep is what she needs to get rid of everything on her head. Feeling a bit drowsy, she turned to her left, hoping that she'd finally get the rest that her body craves for. But alas, there she saw Sheldon, staring blankly at the ceiling.

"Can't sleep?" he asked, his eyes still fixated on the ceiling.

"Yeah. You too?"

"Uh-hm."

There was a brief silence after that. Amy thought that he'd already fallen asleep. She looked at his direction, only to see that he was also looking her way.

"Did you know that according to Einstein's Theory of Special Relativity, time would stop if you traveled at the speed of light?" he asked. Amy was taken aback by the randomness of his question, but she managed to answer. "I know."

"Did you know that the most abundant atom in the universe is the hydrogen atom? Nearly 74% of the atoms in the Milky Way galaxy are hydrogen atoms."

"I know."

"Did you know that black holes aren't black? They're very dark, sure, but they aren't black. They glow, slightly, giving off light across the whole spectrum, including visible light. This radiation is called "Hawking radiation" after the former Lucasian Professor of Mathematics at Cambridge University Stephen Hawking."

"I know."

"Did you know that neutron stars are the fastest spinning objects known in the universe? Pulsars are a particular type of neutron star that emits a beam of radiation that can be observed as a pulse of light. The rate of this pulse allows astronomers to measure the rotation. The fastest spinning known pulsar is the catchily-titled PSR J1748-2446ad, which spins at over 70,000 kilometres per second."

At this point, Amy was convinced that Sheldon kept on blabbering random physics facts in an attempt to bring himself to sleep. Withholding any objections, she replied. "Yes, I know."

"Impressive, Dr. Fowler. How come you know all of that?" he inquired.

"I did take several physics classes when I was still an undergraduate. It wasn't my forte, but knowing stuff about a topic other than your specialty deemed itself to be handy at times, especially when you're conversing daily with scientists in various fields of the academe."

Sheldon smiled. _This woman never ceased to amaze me,_ he thought to himself as he watched Amy return to a supine position. "I'm running out of topic ideas. Any suggestions?"

"For starters, maybe we should say something that the other doesn't already know. Like our favorite things, colors, or whatever comes first in our minds." Amy suggested. Since sleep had been evading them the entire night, it wouldn't hurt to spend their time doing something other than having a staring contest with the ceiling.

Sheldon only grunted in response. "Okay, I'll go first. Did you know that my favorite television show is Little House on the Prairie?" Amy initiated. She was afraid that Sheldon wouldn't want to participate in her silly game but thankfully, it only took him a few minutes to reply.

"I didn't know that."

"I first watched that show at my aunt's house when I was 7 and from then on, I've been watching the entire series at least thrice a year." Amy grinned, reminiscing those old good days. Oh, how she missed watching those at home while her aunt brought her freshly-baked cookies. She wanted to re-watch the show again but her jumpacked schedule was hindering her from doing so.

"My turn. Did you know that tonight was the first time I've ever drank alcohol?"

"Really?"

"Yeah. My dad and my older brother are both alcoholics so my mother prohibited me from intaking any kind of alcoholic beverage. Penny tried to make me drink wine before, telling me that it's cranberry juice. That didn't work though, since I immediately smelled the strong scent of grapes it emitted." the physicist chuckled. Amy couldn't help but giggle, thinking that it was something her best friend would definitely do.

"Okay, my turn. Did you know that I'm pretty good at playing the harp?"

Sheldon's brows flew upward in surprise. "Huh, I never thought you were the harp-playing type."

"Well, what instrument do you think suits me better?" she asked.

"I don't know, maybe a piano."

"You do know that I have short hands, right?"

The physicist hissed, as if Amy said something very obvious. "Of course, I know. Based on observations, your hands are at least half the size of mine. I bet my pinkie is longer than your thumb." he replied smugly. Amy, who was visibly annoyed, sat up and pushed the blanket down her hips.

"Give me your hand, let's see if that's true." Amy extended her hand, palms facing Sheldon, to prove that her hands aren't as short as he previously declared. Sheldon, who doesn't like being proved wrong, removed his hand from the sleeping bag to reach Amy's. As their palms met, an electrifying sensation enveloped their fingers. Trying to look unaffected, Sheldon turned his attention to their hands and made sure that the base of their palms are aligned to avoid errors.

"Ha! As I've told you, I am always right." Sheldon gave out a smug smile after seeing how wide the gap was between his pinkie and her thumb. Amy rolled her eyes in response. Like Sheldon, she doesn't like the idea of being defeated.

Now that Sheldon has proven his point, their hands are supposed to break contact now. However, they spent the next few minutes in the same position, eyes glued to each other as their palms continued making contact.

Sheldon sighed as he gradually removed his hand from Amy's. When their hands separated, Amy turned right, making her entire body turn away from Sheldon. The physicist looked at his hand, thinking about how soft and warm Amy's petite hands were. His hand crumpled into a fist before he placed it in the middle of his chest.

"Did you know… " Sheldon said in a low voice. He didn't get any reply from the brunette on the other side. Despite not getting a response, Sheldon thought to himself that this might be the perfect timing to tell her something he's been keeping since the first day they met. He intended to bring up the subject during their date, but he was afraid that doing so might ruin the mood. Besides, it's not gonna change anything. It's already in the past and there's nothing he could do to alter what he did.

Sheldon cleared his throat, hoping to startle Amy. Once again, she didn't reply. He was then convinced that it's either she's already fallen asleep or just merely ignoring him.

Without any second thought, he asked her. "_Amy, did you know that I was there during our supposed date at the coffee shop?" _


	10. The Girl Who Waited

_**Hello everyone! Thank you so much for continuously supporting my work. I'm very glad to inform you that I'm finally halfway through this story. I know that I've only published 10 chapters in the span of a year but I promise you that I'll do my best to continue writing in order to give Sheldon and Amy the ending they deserve.**_

_**Even though the first part of this chapter is monologue-heavy, I hope you'd still read through it. Thank you for reading, please tell me what you think about it in the reviews.**_

* * *

_**CHAPTER TEN: THE GIRL WHO WAITED**_

* * *

The room was silent. Sheldon let the weight of his words linger for a few moments so that Amy can digest it. However, she did not speak. Whether she's asleep or pretending to be asleep, Sheldon didn't want to know. He sighed again, still staring at the ceiling. Seems like Amy's not going to reply any time soon.

Regardless of his current predicament, the physicist wanted to spill everything he's kept about that coffee shop date. He's not good at keeping secrets that's why it's a wonder how Sheldon was able to keep this from Amy for months. He thought of telling this to Leonard and Penny, but he was afraid that they're going to be mad at him for making her wait for nothing. In the end, Sheldon thought that it'd be best if he personally speaks about this matter with Amy alone.

Sheldon glanced and saw that Amy was still leaning left. _Well, it's now or never._

"I told Raj and Howard that I didn't want to go on that date. They bugged me relentlessly, telling me that it's my only shot at romance. I eventually got annoyed so I impulsively bought a ticket for the art festival in a museum near the coffee shop we're supposed to meet and showed them the ticket to prove that I had a prior engagement on the day of our date. After that, they didn't push the topic any further. I was glad, of course, but it meant that I had to waste an entire afternoon inside a museum." Sheldon narrated. "I went to the museum, surprised to see how deserted it was. It only took me 20 minutes to see all the paintings. I got bored immediately so I decided to stop by the coffee shop to see if my date is actually going to come. I didn't want you to recognize me so I sat at the farthest couch, away from all the other customers who are busy eating or chatting. I sat there, waiting for you to come by. Then, after a few minutes of waiting, you came."

The physicist closed his eyes, trying to revisit that specific moment in his mind. Thanks to his eidetic memory, he remembered everything and everyone who was in the shop that day. "You wore a blue checkered blouse under a violet and black striped cardigan that day. Your skirt was brown and you had black and shiny orthopedic shoes. You had a black clip on the left side of your hair. Wait, now that I noticed it, your hair was a bit shorter back then." He smiled and continued the story where he left off. "You walked directly to the counter and ordered tepid water. When they gave you your drink, you sat at a table near a long cabinet filled with product displays. You watched the clock intensely, as if it did you something wrong. Minutes passed and you continued waiting. I must say, you are a very patient woman. After an hour, you took out a small book from your purse and started to read. I was seated far, but I think that you were reading Chaucer. Anyway, you decided to pass time by reading page after page until you've finished the entire book. When you placed the book back on your bag, you looked around and finally realized that your date stood you up. Without another word, you walked away from your seat and left the coffee shop."

If guilt is a human-eating monster, it would've devoured Sheldon Cooper already. The idea of him standing up Amy was already despicable. But to literally watch her wait for nothing the entire afternoon? That's on another level of wickedness.

Sheldon thought that Amy might actually hate him for this. The reason why he kept this to himself was because he didn't want to jeopardize the progress that he and Amy are currently having. He just wanted things to stay the same. Unfortunately, with this new information, she can easily nullify their friendship and their fake-dating agreement.

"I tried to forget that day. Each time my thoughts drifted back to the woman who waited at the coffee shop, I would try to think about something else, Luckily, I've been very busy with work so I didn't have to put extra effort in trying to forget you. However, this all changed when I saw you at the cafeteria once again. At first, I didn't recognize you (maybe it's the hair, I don't know). Eventually, with the help of Leonard, the memories of that day came back. It's like I've been dumped in the cold waters of Antarctica with nothing but my underpants on. I only felt two things that time. One, shame, because I had no idea how on Earth am I going to face a woman I stood up. Second, guilt, because I wasted your time and made you wait for a man who's never going to show up."

The physicist inhaled sharply, feeling a pang of guilt and regret. "You know, you had all the right to dump my dinner invitation. You had the right to get mad at me, to scream at me, or to even slap me. Things might've been easier if you just stayed angry at me or decided to ignore me for the rest of your stay in Caltech. But you didn't do all of that. Instead, you easily forgave me when I explained my side. You became my friend, my fake girlfriend, and my daily companion. You became my constant, an integral variable in my life."

"I'm sorry if I stood you up, I know now that I should've done that. I'm sorry if you had to date that stupid Chemist because of me. I'm sorry if I hurt you in any way, Amy. I'm sorry."

The room fell silent again. Even though Amy wasn't able to hear him, his heart somehow felt a bit lighter. He turned away from the woman sleeping on the sofa and decided that soon enough, he'll have to tell this secret to her when she's awake and responding.

When Amy heard that Sheldon's already snoring, she turned left. She stared at him as he slept peacefully. Little did Sheldon know that Amy was awake the entire time.

* * *

Amy only slept for three hours. When she woke up at 6, she tried to stretch her arms and legs to wake her senses up. She tried not to wake Sheldon, who was still sleeping on the floor. She decided to leave early so grabbed her purse and the fake dating agreement from the table. When she was about to step out of 4A, the door suddenly swung open, revealing a short, bespectacled physicist on the front door.

"Good morning, Amy." Leonard said suggestively, with a large grin was plastered to his face.

"It's not what you think, Leonard."

Leonard laughed, leaving Amy confused. "Don't worry, I know. What I do not know is why you're in our apartment this early."

Amy crossed her arms and revisited the events of last night. "Well, your friend here was drunk last night so I had to take him home. He wasn't feeling well so I decided to stay here and look after him since you're not around."

"Is that so? Well, thank you for taking care of Sheldon last night. I'm sorry if he's such a pain in the ass."

The brunette chuckled. "He's always a pain in the ass."

Leonard grabbed his phone from his pocket and typed something. A few moments later, Amy's phone chimed, indicating that she received a new message. "Anyway, we saw you last night at the Cheesecake Factory. It looked like the two of you were having a fun time so we decided not to intervene. Look, I sent you some photos that Howard and I discreetly took last night."

Amy took her phone out of her purse then opened Leonard's message. He sent her two pictures. On one, they were laughing and on the other, they were smiling at each other. Amy was too preoccupied last night that she forgot to send her mother pictures of their date. Thank goodness Leonard and Howard saved her from her stupid mistake.

"I tried to invite him to come with us but he refused, saying that he had other things to do." Leonard winked, painting Amy's cheeks red. By the looks of it, Leonard is really buying their facade. "Anyway, I won't keep you any longer. Take care on your way home and drive safely, Amy."

Amy gave him a warm smile as he made way for her. She waved to Leonard before walking away from 4A. As she descended the stairs, she realized that Sheldon's choice of dating venue wasn't random at all. He knew beforehand that Leonard and Howard would be there so he made sure that they'll be seen by them.

A smirk escaped the brunette's lips. "That cunning bastard." she said as she clutched their fake dating agreement in her arms.

* * *

Amy decided not to communicate with Sheldon the week after their date at the Cheesecake Factory. She made sure to avoid crossing paths with Sheldon in the hallways of Caltech. She even started cooking her own meals just to have a reason to stay locked in her laboratory during lunch time. However, Sheldon was persistent. He continued sending her messages, mostly short narratives on how his day went or random facts that Amy didn't even bother to read.

_**Sheldon Cooper**_

_**6/3/2020, 6:47 am**_

_A pleasant morning to you, Amy. Did you know that on August 12, 1099, Godfried of Broth and the Crusaders beat the Egyptian Fatimid army? I bet you didn't. _

_**Sheldon Cooper**_

_**6/5/2020, 10:23 am**_

_I'm savoring the solitude in my office because Kripke is going to come back to work next week. Ugh, I hate him. His stupid face annoys me so much. _

_**Sheldon Cooper**_

_**6/7/2020, 11:12 am**_

_To be honest, I don't know what you found interesting in slimy brains. _

_**Sheldon Cooper**_

_**6/7/2020, 2:58 pm**_

_I'm bored. What are you working on? Let's eat. _

_**Sheldon Cooper**_

_**6/7/2020, 3:09 pm**_

_I've sent you exactly 103 messages since August 2. Are you even reading my messages? _

_**Sheldon Cooper**_

_**6/7/2020, 3:20 pm**_

_Why aren't you replying to me? Why aren't you answering my calls? _

Amy groaned as she put her phone down. She's alone in her lab, but she didn't want to be accompanied by anyone else, most especially by Sheldon. She tried to revert her attention to the papers before her which contained results from their addiction study. Before she finished reading her pile of papers, a knock resonated on her room. It wasn't just a normal knock, it was Sheldon's signature knock.

Annoyed, she stood up and opened the door. "Ugh, Sheldon what is-?" Her sentence was cut short when she realized that the person in front of her door is not Sheldon. Instead, the person who paid her a visit was a blonde physicist.

* * *

Sheldon glanced at his board one last time before sitting down on his chair. Ah, life for him was definitely better without Kripke around. He's proud, of course, for he was able to finish a month's worth of work in just a week. The physicist grinned to himself. _Maybe I should get Kripke suspended more often. _

He grabbed his phone, hoping to receive a message from Amy. She hasn't been replying to him ever since the date. Sheldon had a hunch that she heard everything he said about their failed coffee shop date and is now angry at him for being such a jerk. Well, he couldn't blame her. After all, he was also mad at himself for making Amy wait for nothing.

Sheldon was about to eat a late lunch at the cafeteria when his phone rang. When he looked at the caller ID, his heart nearly skipped a beat. _It's Amy. Amy is calling him. _

With shaky hands, he immediately answered the call. She was sobbing hard.

"You're weepy, I don't like it when you're weepy. What happened?" he asked.

Amy didn't respond, she just continued crying.

"Tell me where you are." Sheldon demanded.

The sobbing noises suddenly toned down. He heard a deep sigh from the other line. "Lab." she whispered before she hanged up.

Sheldon got up and ran as fast as he could towards the biology department. He didn't mind the stares that he received on his way to her laboratory. In his mind, his priority was clear: he needed to know what the hell happened to Amy.

He was panting by the time he reached her laboratory. Without any hint of hesitation, he opened the door, surprised to see a train wreck inside Amy's lab. Books and papers were scattered everywhere and the chairs were flipped, as if it came across a tornado. When he didn't find what he's looking for by scanning the room, Sheldon began walking to the inventory room, the only place in her lab that he hasn't visited yet.

As the door creaked open, he saw Amy Farrah Fowler, surrounded by shards of broken glassware and drenched in a large pool of blood.


End file.
